The 26th October, however, provided the crew of the Alabama with a
fresh excitement. The weather had cleared beautifully, the wind was
light from the eastward, and the vessel was gliding smoothly and
swiftly, with studding-sails set alow and aloft, over the long, easy
swell, which alone remained to tell of the heavy gales of the past
fortnight. Every one was enjoying the change, and even the strict
discipline of the man-of-war was, for the moment, in some measure
relaxed, as officers and men gave themselves up to the full pleasure of
a period of sunshine and tranquillity, after the long spell of gloom and
storm. The look-out-man alone, high up on the fore topgallant
crosstrees, still swept the horizon as eagerly as ever in search of a
prize. At about noon his vigilance was rewarded by the sight of a sail
on the port-quarter, and in a moment all was again bustle and excitement
on board. Quick as the word could be given, the "flying kites" were
furled, yards braced in, and the ship hauled up on a taut bowline in
chase.
But the stranger was now well to windward, and fully four or five miles
distant. The Alabama flew through the water with the freshening breeze,
flinging the spray over her sharp bows, and stretching to her task as
though she herself were conscious of the work before her, and eager in
chase. But the strange sail was almost, if not quite, as fast as
herself, and her position so far to windward gave her an immense
advantage.
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