noon
Nothing could have given our people greater satisfaction than to have found the Frenchman close to us at daybreak . I spent most of the night in writing letters home , to send by the whaler . When morning dawned , not a sail , except our own little squadron , was to be seen . We kept company till noon , and then , with mutual good wishes , stood away on our respective courses . We hoped that the _ Mignonne _ would follow the _ Barbara _ rather than our friends , should she really have sailed in chase of any of us . The possibility of our being pursued created much excitement on board . At early dawn , till the evening threw its mantle over the ocean , we had volunteers at the mastheads looking out for a strange sail .