This she did slowly for about ten minutes,
when it fell a perfect calm--so that, to use a common sea phrase, he
gained little by his motion. About half-past one, a slight breeze from
the opposite quarter sprung up--we turned round to it--it increased--the
fog blew away, and, in a quarter of an hour, the chase was again
visible, now upon our lee beam. The men gave three cheers.
"Silence there, fore and aft," cried the captain, angrily. "Mr Simple,
is this the way that the ship's company have been disciplined under
their late commander, to halloo and bawl whenever they think proper?"
I was irritated at any reflection upon O'Brien, and I replied, "Yes,
sir; they have been always accustomed to express their joy at the
prospect of engaging the enemy."
"Very well, Mr Simple," replied he.
"How are we to shift her head?" inquired the master, touching his hat:
"for the chase?"
"Of course," replied the captain, who then descended into his cabin.
"Come, my lads," said Swinburne, as soon as the captain was below, "I
have been going round, and I find that your _pets_ are all in good
fighting order. I promise ye, you sha'n't wait for powder. They'll find
that the _Rattlesnake_ can bite devilish hard yet, I expect."--"Aye, and
without its _head_, too," replied one of the men, who was the Joe Miller
of the brig. The chase, perceiving that she could not escape--for we
were coming up with her, hand over hand, now shortened sail for action,
hoisting Dutch colours.
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