midnight
When the evening closed in , the Frenchman was in sight about two leagues off , coming up astern . The `` Thisbe , '' now casting off the prize , stood towards her . At this time there was no other sail in sight , with the exception of a small boat , apparently a fishing boat , which kept as close as she could to the `` Thisbe , '' possibly to watch what was going to take place . Captain Courtney 's object was , of course , to obtain the weather gauge ; and in consequence of having to manoeuvre to obtain it , it was not till past midnight that the two ships got within range of each other 's guns . Not a man of the `` Thisbe 's '' crew had turned in . The drum beat to quarters . The men flew to their stations with pistols in their belts and cutlasses by their sides , eager to begin the fight .