Some sought their berths, among whom were Mr. Sharp and Mr. Dodge; some
hurried up the stairs to learn the reason, and all broke up their
avocations for the night.
Captain Truck had the usual number of questions to answer, which he did in
the following succinct and graphic manner, a reply that we hope will prove
as satisfactory to the reader, as it was made to be, perforce,
satisfactory to the curious on board.
"Had we stood on an hour longer, gentlemen, we should have been lost on
the coast of Cornwall!" he said, pithily: "had we stopped where we were,
the sloop-of-war would nave been down upon us in twenty minutes: by
changing the course, in the way you have seen, he may get to leeward ward
of us; if he find it out, he may change his own course, in the dark, being
as likely to go wrong as to go right; or he may stand in, and set up the
ribs of his majesty's ship Foam to dry among the rocks of the Lizard,
where I hope all her people will get safely ashore, dry shod."
After waiting the result anxiously for an hour, the passengers retired to
their rooms one by one; but Captain Truck did not quit the deck until the
middle watch was set. Paul Blunt heard him enter his state-room, which was
next to his own, and putting out his head, he inquired the news above.
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