Ze belle chasse maree.

She sail like de bird.

Is it not?
Now come see." We went on deck, and found as he took us about amongst the crew of seven men, all wearing petticoat canvas trousers, that the big lugger was very dirty and untidy, wanting in paint, and with the deck, or pont as the skipper called it, one litter of baskets, packages, and uncoiled ropes.
On the other hand she seemed to be very long and well shaped, and her masts, which were thick and short, had large yards and tremendous sails, which in a favourable wind sent her through the water at a very rapid rate.
"Aha! You lofe my sheep," said the skipper, as he watched our faces.
"You tink she run herselfs very fas, eh ?" We expressed our pleasure, which was the greater that we could see now that the two bold masses which formed the entrance to the Gap were right before us; but even now, as far as we could judge, six or seven miles away.
We took a good deal of notice of this, for it showed us how far we had been driven out by the fierce little gale of the previous night; and as I looked over the stern at where our boat was being towed along in the foam, and was thinking that we must have had a narrow escape, the French skipper clapped me on the shoulder, laughed, and said: "You wonder you not go to feed ze fishes at ze bottom?
Yes, much; et moi aussi.

Ah, mon brave, you nearly go, and--no boat--no boy--no noting.

Hah!" I shivered as I realised the truth of what he said, and was musing over what was to come, when Bigley came to me, for the skipper had gone to his men.
"Don't tease Bob," he said.