With the sun had risen the wind, and a few minutes before the
colonel interrupted himself in the manner related, the topsails of the
stranger had swelled, and he began to move through the water at the rate
of some four or five knots the hour. The moment her people felt that
they had complete command of their vessel, as if waiting only for that
assurance, they altered her course and made sail. Putting her helm
a-starboard, the ship came close by the wind, with her head looking
directly in for the promontory, while her tacks were hauled on board,
and her light canvas aloft was loosened and spread to the breeze. Almost
at the same instant, for everything seemed to be done at once, and as by
instinct, the French flag was lowered, another went up in its place, and
a gun was fired to leeward--a signal of amity. As this second emblem of
nationality blew out, and opened to the breeze, the glasses showed the
white field and St. George's cross of the noble old ensign of England.
An exclamation of surprise and delight escaped the spectators on the
promontory, as their doubts and apprehensions were thus dramatically
relieved. No one thought of Raoul at that happy moment, though to him
there was nothing of new interest in the affair, with the exception of
the apparent intention of the stranger to enter the bay. As le
Feu-Follet lay in plain view from the offing, he had his doubts, indeed,
whether the warlike appearance of that craft was not the true reason of
this sudden change in the frigate's course.
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