Even the most vigilant become weary of watching, and Captain Truck was
unpleasantly disturbed next morning by an alarm that the Foam was just out
of gun-shot, coming up with them fast. On gaining the deck, he found the
fact indisputable. Favoured by the change in the course, the cruiser had
been gradually gaining on the Montauk ever since the first watch was
relieved, and had indeed lessened the distance between the respective
ships by two-thirds. No remedy remained but to try the old expedient of
getting the wind over the taffrail once more, and of showing all the
canvas that could be spread. As like causes are known to produce like
effects, the expedient brought about the old results. The packet had the
best of it, and the sloop-of-war slowly fell astern. Mr. Truck now
declared he would make a "regular business of it," and accordingly he
drove his ship in that direction throughout the day, the following night,
and until near noon of the day which succeeded, varying his course
slightly to suit the wind, which he studiously kept so near aft as to
allow the studding-sails to draw on both sides. At meridian, on the fourth
day out, the captain got a good observation, and ascertained that the ship
was in the latitude of Oporto, with an offing of less than a degree.
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