about five to
two
By five o'clock he was well on his way , the _ Unity _ skipping along quite as if she enjoyed it ; and ran before the gale all that night . Towards three in the morning the wind moderated , and by half-past four the gale had blown itself out . Just about then the look-out came to Cap'n Dick , who had turned in for a spell , and reported two ships ' lights , one on each side of them . The chances against their being Frenchmen , out here in this part of the Channel , were about five to two ; so Cap'n Dick cracked on ; and at daybreak -- about a quarter after five -- found himself right slap between the very two frigates that had called Jacka to halt the evening before . One was fetching along on the port tack , and the other on the weather side of him , just making ready to put about . They both ran up the white ensign at sight of him ; but this meant nothing . And in a few minutes the frigate to starboard fired a shot across his bows and hoisted her French flag .