About seven o'clock
`` Had n't we better fire a gun , Captain Keene , to attract their attention ? '' `` Yes , '' replied I ; `` it will look as if we really were Frenchmen . '' The gun was fired , and we continued to stand towards them with a good breeze . About seven o'clock we were within two miles , and then we observed the Englishman haul down her colours , and the schooner immediately went alongside , and took possession . I continued to run down , and in half an hour was close to her . Calling up the boarders , I laid the brig alongside the schooner ; as half her men were on board the Indiaman , they were taken by surprise , and we gained possession with very trifling loss on our side , much to the astonishment of the crew of the privateer , as well as that of the Indiaman . The captain , who was on deck , informed me that they had engaged the schooner for nine hours , and that he had some hopes of beating her off , until he saw me come down under French colours , upon which he felt that further resistance was vain .