Adrift in a Boat, by W. H. G. Kingston. 

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This is not a very long book, but the story is a good one. Severalfamilies have met together to have a picnic on a pleasant local beach. To everyone's delight they are joined by Harry Merryweather, amidshipman home on leave. Harry and another youth, David Moreton, gofor a wander round the rocks, but are cut off by the strong tide. Theweather then turns very nasty, but the boys are able to swim to apassing boat containing an old man, Jefferies, and his young grandson, Tristram. The weather is now so bad they can't get back to the localharbour at Penmore. 

There is an accident and young Tristram is lost overboard, and drowned. 

They see a vessel, a brig, on her way down channel, but when they get toher they find she is an abandoned wreck. More bad weather. They areseen by a schooner about some bad business, who opens fire, probably todestroy an unwanted witness to some crime. The brig is sinking. Theymake a raft. Old Jefferies dies. They are picked up by a Frenchschooner, which turns out to be a privateer. At this point the storygets even more convoluted, and you will have to read the book to seewhat happens next, and how the boys eventually get home. 

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ADRIFT IN A BOAT, BY W. H. G. KINGSTON. 

CHAPTER ONE. 

THE PICNIC ON THE SANDS--THE MIDSHIPMAN--HARRY MERRYWEATHER AND DAVIDMORETON CAUGHT BY THE TIDE--THE ALARM. 

Few parts of the shores of old England present more beautiful andromantic scenery than is to be found on the coast of Cornwall. Thereare deep bays, and bold headlands, and wild rocks, and lofty cliffs, andwooded heights, and bare downs, and yellow sands full of the most minuteand delicate shells, so delicate that it is surprising how they couldhave existed in the rough and boisterous ocean, and been cast up wholefrom the depths below. In one of those beautiful bays, many years ago, a large party was collected, on a bright afternoon in the early part ofautumn. Among the party were persons of all ages, but most of them wereyoung, and all were apparently very busy. Some were engaged in tendinga fire over which a pot was boiling, and others were collectingdrift-wood thrown up close under the cliff, with which to feed it. Twoor three young ladies, under the superintendence of a venerable matron, were spreading a tablecloth, though the sand looked so smooth and clearthat it did not seem as if the most dainty of people could have requiredone. Several were very eager in unpacking sundry hampers and baskets, and in carrying the dishes and plates, and bottles of wine, and thenumerous other articles which they contained, to the tablecloth. Twoyoung ladies had volunteered to go with a couple of pails to fetch waterfrom a spring which gushed out of the cliff, cool and fresh, at somedistance off, and two young gentlemen had offered to go and, assistthem, which was very kind in the young gentlemen, as they certainlybefore had not thought of troubling themselves about the matter. To besure the young ladies were very pretty and very agreeable, and it ispossible that their companions might not have considered the troubleover-excessive. The youngest members of the party were as busy as therest, close down to the water collecting the beautiful shells which havebeen mentioned. The shells were far too small to be picked up singly, and they therefore came provided with sheets of thick letter-paper, intowhich they swept them from off the sand where they had been left by theprevious high tide. A loud shout from a hilarious old gentleman, whohad constituted himself director of the entertainment, and who claimedconsequently the right of making more noise than anybody else, or indeedthan all the rest put together, now summoned them up to the tablecloth, to which at the sound, with no lingering steps, they came, exhibitingtheir treasures on their arrival to their older friends. The partyforthwith began to seat themselves round the ample tablecloth, but theytook up a good deal more room than had it been spread on a table. Thevariety of attitudes they assumed was amusing. The more elderly ladiessat very upright, with their plates on their laps; the younger ones whohad gone for the water, and their friends of the same age, managed toassume more graceful attitudes; while the young men who had been toschool and college, and had read how the Romans took their meals, stretched themselves out at the feet of the former, leaning on theirelbows, and occasionally, when not actually engaged in conveying ham andchicken or pie to their mouths, giving glances at the bright andlaughing eyes above them. The hilarious old gentleman tried kneeling, that he might carve a round of beef placed before him, but soon foundthat attitude anything but pleasant to his feelings; then he sat withone side to the cloth, then with the other. At last he scraped a trenchin the sand sufficient to admit his outstretched legs, and, placing thebeef before him, carved vigorously away till all claimants weresupplied. The younger boys and girls, tucking their legs under themlike Turks, speedily bestowed their undivided attention to the task ofstowing away the good things spread out before their eyes. 

"This is jolly, don't you think so, Mary?" exclaimed a fine boy of aboutfourteen to a pretty little girl who sat next to him; "there is only onething wanting to make it perfect--Harry Merryweather ought to be here. He wrote word that he expected to be with us this morning, and I toldhim where the picnic was to take place, that should he be too late toget home, he might come here direct. Oh, he is such a capital fellow, and now that he is in the navy, and has actually been in a battle, hewill have so much to tell us about. "

Mary Rymer fully agreed with David Moreton, for Harry was a favouritewith every one who knew him. Although Harry Merryweather had notarrived for the picnic, his friends appeared to be enjoying themselvesvery much, judging by the smiles and giggling and the chattering, andthe occasional shouts of laughter which arose when old Mr Tom Sowton, and florid, fat Mr Billy Burnaby, uttered some of their jokes. Notthat they were the only people who uttered good things, but they wereprofessed jokers, and seemed to consider it their duty to make peoplemerry; Mr Burnaby, indeed, if he could not make people laugh at what hesaid, made them laugh at what he did. 

The party had come from various quarters in the neighbourhood, some froma distance inland, in carriages, and two or three families who lived onor near the coast, in two pretty yachts, which lay at anchor in the bay. One of them belonged to Mr Moreton, David's father, and the other toCaptain Rymer, with whose family David was as much at home as with hisown; and he and his sisters looked upon Mary, Captain Rymer's daughter, quite in the light of a sister. She was, indeed, a very charming littlegirl, well worthy of their affections. The first course of the picnicwas concluded--that is to say, the chickens, and hams, and pies, andcold beef, and tongues, and a few other substantials were pushed back;the potatoes, which had been boiled in salt water, having beenpronounced excellent. The tarts and cakes and fruit, peaches and figsand grapes, were brought to the front, and underwent the admiration theydeserved, when suddenly David Moreton, looking up, raised a loud shout, and, jumping to his feet, clapped his hands and waved them vehemently. The shout was echoed in different keys by many others, and all turningtheir eyes in the direction David was pointing, they saw, on the top ofthe cliff a boy, on whose jacket and cap the glitter of a little goldlace and his snow-white trousers proclaimed him to be that hero inembryo, a midshipman. Having looked about him for a few seconds, hebegan to descend the cliff at so seemingly breakneck a speed, thatseveral of the ladies shrieked out to him to take care, and Mary Rymerturned somewhat pale and stood looking anxiously as the young sailordropped from one point of rock to another, or slid down a steep incline, or swung himself by the branches of shrubs or tufts of grass to theledge below him, and ran along it as if it had been a broad highway, though a false step might have proved his destruction. Once he stopped. To go back was impossible, and to attempt to descend seemed almostcertain destruction. Mr Sowton and Billy Burnaby jumped up, almostdragging away the tablecloth, upsetting tarts, and fruit-dishes, andbottles of wine, and all the other things, when Harry gave a tremendousspring to a ledge which his sharp eye had detected, and was in a fewseconds afterwards standing safe on the sands and shaking hands warmlywith everybody present. When he came to Mr Tom Sowton and BillyBurnaby, it might have been supposed from the way in which they wrungeach other's hands, that there was a wager pending as to which shouldfirst twist off his friend's fist. 

"Fortunately, we haven't eaten up all the good things, Harry, " exclaimedMr Sowton, dragging the midshipman, nothing loth, to the well-spreadcloth. "Now open your mouth, and Burnaby and I will try and feed you. What will you have first, --beef, or pudding, or a peach, or a tongue, ora cold chicken? Oh dear me, there is but a drumstick and a merrythoughtleft. Which will you have? No! I see I am wrong again, the drumstickis in the dish, and the merrythought is in my head, with numerouscompanions. Does anybody wish to know what they are? I'll fill mynaval friend's plate first with cold beef and mustard, and then informyou. " Thus the old gentleman ran on. He kept his word with regard toHarry, who very soon by diligent application caught up the rest of theparty, and was able to commence on the tarts and peaches. All thegentlemen asked him to take wine, and the ladies were eager to hear hisadventures. He briefly recounted them in an animated manner, for as hehad been little more than a year at sea, everything he had seen and donehad the freshness of novelty. He belonged to the gallant _Arethusa_frigate, which had put into Plymouth from a successful cruise in the Bayof Biscay, where, after capturing several minor prizes of considerablevalue, she had taken an enemy's frigate of equal force. He hadconsequently got leave for a few days to come home and see his widowedmother. He was her only son; her husband had been an officer in thearmy, and was killed in battle; her daughter Jane could never be inducedto leave her, but they had promised to send Harry on to the picnic afterhe had indulged them with a little of his society. He had come by achance conveyance, knowing that he should be able to return with some ofhis friends. 

In those days it was the custom to sit long after dinner, and even at apicnic people consumed a considerable amount of time round the cloth. At length, however, they got up and broke into separate parties. Somewent in one direction, some in another. The elders were more inclinedto sit still, or went only a little way up the cliff; but several of thegrown-up young ladies and gentlemen climbed up by somewhat steep pathsto the downs above. The younger ones, the tide being low, verynaturally preferred scrambling out on the rocks in search ofsea-anemones, and other marine curiosities. There were numerousprojecting rocks forming small bays in the large bay, and thuscompletely hiding the different parties from each other. No two boyscould have had a more sincere regard for each other than had DavidMoreton and Harry Merryweather. David was longing to go to sea withHarry, but his father was greatly averse to his going. He was theeldest son, and heir to a large property. As the boys had beenseparated for so long a time (long in their lives), they had a greatdeal to say to each other. They consequently strolled away, forgettingwhat Mary Rymer or the rest of their fair companions might have thoughtof their gallantry, in and out along the sands, round the points andover the rocks, till they had got to a considerable distance from theplace where the picnic had been held. A dry rock, high above the water, which they could reach by going along a ledge connecting it with themainland, tempted them to scramble out to it. There they chose a nicecosy, dry nook, where, sitting down, the water immediately around themwas hidden from their sight. This circumstance must be remembered. Itwas very delightful. They had not yet said one-half of what they hadgot to say to each other, so they sat on talking eagerly, looking outseaward and watching the white sails which glided by coming up channelin the distant horizon. David was so delighted with the accounts Harrygave him, that he resolved to make a further attempt to induce hisfather to allow him to go to sea. It must be owned that Harry, full oflife and happiness himself, had pictured only the bright side ofeverything. He had described the courage and determination to win withwhich he and his shipmates had gone into action, and the enthusiasm anddelight they had felt on gaining the victory and capturing the prize;but he forgot to speak of the death of some cut down in their prime, andthe wounds and sufferings of others, many maimed and crippled for life. Thus they talked on without marking how the time went by. Harry'swatch, which he had locked up carefully before going into action, hadbeen destroyed by a shot which had knocked the desk and everything in itto pieces; and David had forgotten to wind his up. Suddenly it occurredto them that the sun was getting very low, and that it was high time forthem to return. 

They jumped up to scramble back over the rock, but no sooner had theydone so than Harry cried out, "We are caught!" and David exclaimed, "Thetide has risen tremendously, how shall we get to the shore?"

"Swim there, " answered Harry; "I see no other way. If we were to shoutever so loud we should not be heard, and I do not suppose any one knowswhere we are. " By this time they had got to the inner end of the rock, where they found that the distance between them and the shore was notonly considerable, but that a strong current swept round the rock, andthat though before the sea had been calm, it had got up somewhat, andcaused a surf to break on the shore. What was to be done? David was afirst-rate swimmer, and would not have had much difficulty by himself instemming the current, and landing through the surf; but Harry, though asailor, had not learned that art before he went to sea, and could swimvery little. It is extraordinary how many sailors in those days couldnot swim, and lost their lives in consequence. They stood looking atthe foaming, swirling waters, not knowing what to do. 

"I would try it, " said Harry at length, "but I am afraid if I were togive in that I should drown you as well as myself. "

"I think that I might support you, and we should drift in somewhere alittle further down, perhaps, " said David. 

"Much more likely that we should be swept out to sea, " answered Harry. "No, no, David, that will never do. You can swim on shore before thesurf gets heavier, and your father or Captain Rymer will send a boat forme very soon. "

"But these are spring tides, and if the sea gets up at all, it will soonwash right over this rock, " said David. 

"The more reason for you to hurry to get a boat from the yachts, "observed the midshipman. 

While they were speaking, they observed the two yachts, which hadhitherto been hid by a point of land, standing out to sea. They hadcome from the east with a fine northerly smooth water breeze, but thewind had drawn off shore to the east, and as the tide was at floodrunning up channel, the vessels had stood off shore to get the fullstrength of it. This the boys at once understood, but how they shouldhave gone off without them was the puzzle. Matters were growingserious. Even should David reach the shore, he might not find a boat, and it was a long way he feared from any house where he could get help, so that Harry might be lost before he could get back. They retracedtheir steps to the highest part of the rock, and waved and shouted, eventhough they knew that their voices could not be heard, but the yachtsstood on at some distance from each other; it should be remarked, Captain Rymer's leading. It was evident that they were not seen. Thehot tide came rushing in, rising higher and higher. Both the boysbecame very anxious, David more on his friend's account than his own. So many persons have lost their lives much in the same way, that itseemed probable the two boys would lose theirs. 

We must now go back to the picnic party. Mr Sowton and Mr Burnaby, and a few of the other more elderly ladies and gentlemen, began atlength to think it time to return home. The hampers were repacked andcarried, some up the cliffs by the servants, and others on board theyachts; and Mr Sowton and Billy Burnaby acting, as they said, aswhippers-in, began shouting and screeching at the top of their voices. Captain Rymer and Mr Moreton had gone on board their vessels to getready, and thus there was no one actually in command. The boats to takeoff the party were rather small, and several trips had to be made. Inthe meantime, those who were returning home by land climbed up the steeppath to the top of the cliff, where their carriages were waiting forthem. When they were fairly off, each party inquired what had become ofHarry and David. Captain Rymer's yacht, the _Arrow_, was off the first, for the _Psyche_, Mr Moreton's, fouled her anchor, and it was some timebefore it could be got up. 

Mr Moreton thought that his son, and the young midshipman had, attracted by sweet Mary Rymer, gone on board the _Arrow_; while Mary, who, it must be owned, was rather sorry not to see them, took it forgranted that Harry was returning, as he had come, by land, and thatDavid had gone with him. 

The yachts had a long beat back. As they got away from the land, thewind increased very much, and came in strong sharp cold gusts which madeit necessary first to take in the gaff-topsails, and then one reef andthen another in the mainsails. As the wind increased the sea got up, and the little vessels, more suited to fine weather than foul, had hardwork to look up to the rising gale. Still there was no help for it. The tide helped them along, but by its meeting the wind much more seawas knocked up than if both had been going the same way. Had such beenthe case, the vessels could not have made good their passage. Darknesscoming on made matters worse: poor old Mr Sowton became wonderfullysilent, and Mr Burnaby, who was sitting on the deck of the cabin, holding on by the leg of the table, looked the very picture of woe. Mary Rymer, who was well accustomed to yachting, and a few others, keptup their spirits, though all hailed with no little satisfaction thelights which showed the entrance to Pencliffe harbour, into which theywere bound. 

Mr Moreton's party had been at home some time, and most of the familyhad retired to their rooms, when they began to wonder why David had notappeared. 

"He is probably still at the Rymers', or has accompanied Harry to MrsMerryweather's, " said Mrs Moreton to her husband; still, as night drewon, she became somewhat anxious. Her anxiety increased when a servantcame with a message from Mrs Merryweather to inquire why Mr Harry didnot come home. 

Mr Moreton himself now became even more anxious than his wife. Neitherhis daughters, nor some friends staying with them, remembered seeingeither Harry or David for some time before they embarked. 

Mr Moreton, putting on a thick coat, for it was now blowing very hard, went off to Captain Rymer's house, which was close down to the bay, accompanied by Mrs Merryweather's servant, and greatly alarmed thefamily by asking for his son and Harry. 

"Why, did they not come back with you?" asked the captain. "No, wethought they were on board the _Arrow_, " answered Mr Moreton. "Theymay have gone with the Trevanians, but I do not think that Harry wouldhave failed to come back to his mother. I will go back and see her. They must have set off by land, and there may have been an upset or abreak-down. It will be all right tomorrow. "

The morrow, however, came, but the boys did not appear. Mr Moretontherefore rode over early to the Trevanians, but they knew nothing ofthe boys. 

He now became seriously alarmed. As it was blowing too hard to go bysea, he sent a messenger to say that he should not be home for somehours, and continued on to the bay where the picnic had been held. Thenhe made inquiries at the nearest cottages, but no one had seen his sonor Harry Merryweather. He went from cottage to cottage in vain, makinginquiries. 

At last a fisherman suggested that the beach should be searched. MrMoreton at once set out with a party quickly assembled to perform theanxious task, dreading to find the mangled body of his son and his braveyoung friend. No signs of them could be found. Still his anxiety wasin no respect lessened. 

He stopped on his way back at one cottage which he had not beforevisited. He found the inmate, an old woman, in deep affliction. Herhusband, old Jonathan Jefferies, a fisherman, when out on his calling, had perished during the gale in the night. He could sympathise withher, and as far as money help was concerned, he promised all in hispower. With an almost broken heart he returned home to give the sadnews to his wife and family. 

Poor Mrs Merryweather, she was even still more to be pitied. To haveher son restored to her, and then to find him snatched away again sosuddenly, perhaps for ever!

Day after day passed by, and no news came of the much-loved missingones. 

CHAPTER TWO. 

ON THE ROCKS--A BRAVE LAD--SAVED--TRISTRAM'S FATE--STILL IN A BOAT. 

"David, you must try to swim on shore, and save yourself, " exclaimedHarry Merryweather, looking at the foaming seas, which now began, with adeafening noise, to dash furiously round the rock on which he and hisfriend stood. "If you don't go soon, you will not be able to get thereat all. Leave me, I beg you. There is no reason why both should belost. "

"No indeed, that I will not, " answered David, stoutly. "If I thoughtthat I could get help by trying to swim on shore I would go, but I donot think there is a place near where I could find a boat. "

Harry did not speak for a minute or two. 

At last he put his hand on David's shoulder, and said, "I ask you againto swim on shore by yourself. I will pray for you as you are swimming, and you shall pray for me when you reach the beach. My dear mothertaught me to pray when I was a child, and she has ever shown to me thatGod hears all faithful prayers, and in His good time grants them; sothat I have always prayed since I went to sea, both when I was turninginto my hammock, and when I was turning out; and I knew that my motherwas praying for me too, for she is always praying for me; and I knowthat God hears those prayers, so you see that makes me very brave. I amsure that I can trust Him. "

"I am so glad to hear you say that, " answered David. "My father wasteaching us just the same thing after reading the Bible at prayers theother night. It's true--it's true, I know. "

"Then trust to Him, and do as I ask you, " said Harry, earnestly. "Takeoff your jacket and shoes at all events--you will be back in time tosave them and me also. "

"I don't like leaving you at all, but I will do as you wish, " exclaimedDavid, after a moment's further thought, taking off his jacket. As hedid so he turned his head round seaward. "Hillo!--why, there is aboat, " he exclaimed. "She is under sail, standing this way. "

The boys together sprang back to the highest part of the rock, and Davidstill holding his jacket waved it vehemently. It was a smallfishing-boat, beating up from the westward. She was then standing infor the land, and Harry, whose nautical knowledge was not as yetby-the-bye very great, was doubtful where she would go about againbefore she got near enough for those on board to see them. All theycould do was to wave and wave, and to shout--though their shouting, shrill as it was, would have been of no use. 

David, who really knew more about boat-sailing than his naval friend, expressed his opinion that she was beating up for the littleboat-harbour of Penmore, about two miles to the eastward. How anxiouslythey watched her, as the tide sweeping her along she drew nearer andnearer! The wind, having--as the expression is--backed into thesouth-east, enabled her to lay up well along shore, or their hope ofbeing seen would have been small indeed. For some minutes longer shestood on almost directly for them; then at length she went about--hightime, too, for she was getting near the breakers. Now was the momentfor them to shout and wave, for if they were now neither seen nor heardthey must abandon their hope of help from her, as by the next tack shewould be a long way to the eastward. How eagerly they watched her!Again and again they waved and shouted. 

"Yes, see--she is about, " cried Harry, joyfully. He was right--the boatwas evidently standing towards them. Harry, forgetting all pastdangers, shouted and danced for joy. Life was very sweet to him. Hethought nothing of the ordinary risk of losing it which he was every dayrunning--but this was out of the way, and he had almost made up his mindthat he should not escape. There were two people in the boat--an oldman and a boy. The sail was lowered, and getting out their oars theyapproached the rock cautiously. It would have been excessivelydangerous to get close, as a heavier sea than usual might have driventhe boat against the rock and dashed her to pieces. This Harry andDavid saw. The old man stood up in the boat, and beckoned to them. Hewas shouting also, but the thundering noise of the sea against the rockprevented them from hearing him. 

"He wants us to swim out to the boats, " said David. "I am sure that Icould do it, and I will bring in a rope for you. "

"Oh, I do not think that you could, " answered Harry. "The sea rolls inso heavily that you would be driven back. They might let the end of arope, made fast to a cork or a float of some sort, drift in, and haul usoff. " The plan was clearly a good one, and they made signals to the oldman to carry it out; but either he did not understand them, or had not arope long enough. 

"I must go, " cried David, throwing off his coat and shoes. "Pray forme, remember. " He had been watching his opportunity: a heavy sea hadjust passed, and, before Harry could even say another word, slippingdown to the edge of the rock, he glided in, giving himself all theimpetus he could with his feet, and almost the next instant wasbreasting a sea at some distance from the rock. Harry watched himanxiously, not forgetting to pray. Now he seemed almost driven back, and now a foam-crested sea rolling in looked as if it would inevitablyoverwhelm him. Alas! yes--he disappeared. 

"He is lost--he is lost!" cried Harry. But no. Directly after he wasagain seen on the surface, working his way up another advancing sea. 

Harry was now guided chiefly by the gesticulations of the people in theboat, --that is to say, by the way the old man waved a hand, or lookedout, for they had to keep their oars moving with all their might andmain to avoid being driven dangerously near the rock. At length Harry, with thankfulness, saw David close to the boat but she seemed to begoing from him--then the old man stood up--stretched out his arm, andDavid, well-nigh exhausted, was dragged into the boat. Harry saw thathe was talking to the old man. 

"What will he do? I hope that he will not attempt to swim back to therock, " thought Harry; yet he felt very sure that he should never reachthe boat by himself. As the boat rose on the top of a wave, Harry sawthat David was employed in fastening several ropes together. The taskwhich the old man and the boy could not perform, as they were obliged tocontinue rowing, he was able to do. Harry saw him very busy in thebottom of the boat, and now he lifted a water-cask into the sea, andveered away the rope over the stern. For some time Harry did not regainsight of the cask; at last he saw it on the top of a sea, but still along way from the rock. He watched it anxiously; but still he doubtedwhether he should be able to get hold of it. It might, even if itreached the rock, be dashed to pieces. He got down as close to thewater as he dared go, for the seas were dashing so high up the rock thathe might easily be carried away by them--indeed, he was already wetthrough and through with the spray, which was flying in dense sheetsover the rock, and in a few minutes more it seemed to him that it wouldbe completely overwhelmed--indeed, any moment a sea might sweep over it. Harry had a brave heart, and as long as he had life was not likely tolose courage. He showed his coolness, indeed, for believing that thecask would soon reach him, he deliberately tied David's jacket and shoesround his waist, that he might have the pleasure of restoring them tohim. He had observed how David slipped into the water. There came thecask, nearer and nearer. Before it had time to touch the rock, he sliddown into the sea, and struck out boldly for it, and throwing his armsover it caught the rope to which it was made fast, and drew himself uptill his chest rested on it. 

He then shouted at the top of his voice, "Haul in--all right. " David, however, could not hear him: but having watched him with intenseeagerness, now began slowly to haul in the rope, while the old man andboy pulled the boat further off the rock. Harry held firmly on, thoughhe almost lost his breath by the waters, which dashed in his face. Hekept his senses, however, and had the wisdom to strike out with all hismight with his feet, which greatly helped him on, and took off the dragfrom his arms which they would otherwise have felt. 

As he rose to the top of a sea he again shouted out every now and then, "All right--haul away. " He was, however, not much inclined to shout bythe time he got up to the stern of the boat. David, with the help ofthe old man, then quickly hauled him on board. 

"And you have brought me my jacket and shoes, " exclaimed David, gladlyputting them on, for he felt very cold directly the exertions he hadjust gone through ceased. The boys sincerely thanked God in theirhearts that they were saved--though but a very few audible words ofthanksgiving were uttered. No time, indeed, was to be lost in gettingaway from the rock. 

The old man told David to go to the helm. "And you other young mastertake my oar and pull with all your might, while I sets the sails, " headded. A sprit-mainsail, much the worse for wear, and a little rag of aforesail were soon set. It was as much sail as the boat in the risinggale could carry, and away she flew seaward. The old man took the helm, and the boy, who had not spoken, laid in his oar, and facing forward, put his hand on the foresheet to be ready to go about when the word wasgiven. The boat was somewhat old and battered, like its master, --therigging especially seemed in a bad condition. 

The old man saw the boys examining her, and divined their thoughts. "She's not like one of your fine-painted yachts, young masters; but shehas helped to save your lives, and she'll serve my time, I'm pretty sureof that, " he observed. "She'll be tried, howsomever, not a littleto-night, I'm thinking. We were late as it was coming up from `Put offshoal, ' and this work with you made us still later, so that we shallhave to be thankful if we get into Penmore harbour before the tideturns. "

"She is a good boat, no doubt, and at all events we are most thankful toyou for having by her means saved our lives, " said David; and Harryrepeated what he had said. 

"No, young masters, it wasn't I saved you, it was God. Don't thank me. Man can do no good thing of himself, you know, and I couldn't have savedyou if it hadn't been His will. " The fishing-boat went careering onover the foaming seas, guided by the skilful hand of the old man. It issurprising how much sea a small boat with good beam will go through whenwell managed. The old man was far more loquacious than the young one, who sat quite still forward, only every now and then turning his faceaside as the spray dashed in it, and shaking the water from hissou'-wester. 

To the boys' inquiry of the old man to which place he belonged, "Littlebetter than a mile to the eastward of where I took you aboard, " hereplied; "but when the wind blows as it does now, there's no place forlanding nearer than Penmore harbour. That matters nothing, as we get agood market for our fish near there, and we have a good lot to sell, yousee. " He pointed to the baskets in the centre of the boat, well filledwith mackerel and several other kinds of fish. He told them that hisname was Jonathan Jefferies, that he had married a Cornish woman, andsettled in the parish, and that the lad was his grandson. "Not quiteright up there, " he remarked, touching his forehead; "but he is a goodlad, and knows how to do his duty. We call him Tristram Torr, for he isour daughter's son. She is dead, poor thing, and his father was lost atsea, we suppose, for he went away and never came back. "

The old man thus continued giving scraps of his family history, till thegloom of evening gave way to the darkness of night. His chief regret atbeing out so late was that his old woman would be looking for him, as hehad told her that he expected to be home earlier than usual. The darkerit grew the less talkative, however, he became; indeed, all hisattention was taken up in steering, for with the darkness the wind andsea increased, till the boat could hardly look up to it. At last Harryand David began to suspect that though they had escaped from the rock, they were in no small danger of being swamped, and thus, after all, losing their lives. Every now and then a heavy sea broke into the boatand half filled her. Still the boy Tristram said nothing, but turninground took a bailer from under the thwart, and began energeticallybailing away. Harry and David did the same with their hats, till oldJefferies handed them a bucket, with which they more rapidly cleared theboat. They had to be quick about it, for scarcely was she free of waterthan another sea came in and again half filled her. It seemed alsopretty evident to them that instead of going to windward she was makingleeway, though, as the tide was still running to the eastward, she wasgoing in that direction. The two boys were feeling thoroughly chilledand uncomfortable; they were, of course, wet to the skin, and the windwas strong and keen, and even when they sat down, by the old man'sadvice, in the bottom of the boat, their legs were in water. Still theykept up their spirits, and when the water washed into the boat they wereglad to jump up and bail it out again. Besides that they were in dangerof being swamped, it appeared to the midshipman and his friend thatthere was a great risk of being run down. Already two or threephantom-like forms had suddenly appeared out of the darkness, andgliding by were soon lost to sight. 

The boy, however, had made no remark about them; suddenly he shouted, "Grandfather, a sail on the weather-bow. "

"About, then, " cried the old man. Harry and David looked out, and saw, almost ahead of them, towering to the skies it seemed, a dark pyramid ofcanvas. 

"She is a big ship running down channel, " said Harry. "She will be overus! she will be over us!" The boat was at that moment in stays, goingabout. Scarcely had he spoken, when there was a loud crack. The mastwent by the board, and as it came down struck the old man on the head. He would have fallen overboard had not Harry and David seized his coatand dragged him in. 

"Here, pull, masters, " cried Tristram, trying to get out both the oars. In doing so he let one of them go overboard; both would have gone hadnot Harry, springing forward, seized the other. But poor Tristram, inendeavouring to regain the one he had lost, overbalanced himself, andmet the fate his grandfather had just escaped. Harry threw the oar overto the side on which he had fallen, but the poor lad in vain endeavouredto clutch it. There was a piercing cry; Harry thought he saw a handraised up through the darkness, and then he neither saw nor heard more. 

How came it that the boy's cry did not rouse the grandfather? Sad tosay, he lay without moving at the bottom of the boat. 

"This is fearful, " cried David, feeling the old man's face and hands; "Iam afraid that he is dead, and the poor lad gone too. What are we todo?"

"Keep the boat's head to the sea as long as we can with one oar, andthen up helm and run before the wind, " answered Harry, who knew thatsuch was the way a big ship would be managed under similarcircumstances. David sat at the helm, and Harry vigorously plied hisoar--now on one side, now on the other, and thus managed to keep theboat from getting broadside to the sea. It was very hard work, however, and he felt that, even though relieved by David, it could not be kept upall night. Several times David felt the old man's face; it was stillwarm, but there was no other sign of life. The boat was broad and deep, or she would very quickly have been turned over. This, however, madeher very heavy to pull, while from the same cause the sea continuallywashed into her. At length they agreed that she must be put before thewind. They waited for a lull, and then getting her quickly round, hoisted the jib, which had been before taken in, to the end of thespreet, which they lashed to the stump of the mast. The wind blew asstrong as ever, but the tide having turned there was less sea thanbefore, and thus away they went down channel, at a far greater rate thanthey supposed. 

"It is going to be only a summer gale, " observed Harry. "When themorning comes we shall be easily able to rig a fore and aft sail, andstand in for the shore. The poor, good old man, I am very sorry forhim, and so I am for the boy; but for ourselves it does not so muchmatter, except that we shall have to breakfast on raw fish, and perhapsafter all not get home to dinner. My dear mother, too, and Jane, may befrightened, and I don't like the thought of that. "

"Yes, to be sure, I forgot that; I am afraid those at my home will befrightened too, when they hear nothing of us, " said David. "One comfortis, that we did not keep away intentionally, though, to be sure, it wasthoughtless of us to be caught by the tide as we were. But don't let usthink of ourselves; better let us see what we can do for this poor oldman. I believe that he is still alive, though how to bring him round Idon't know. If we had any liquor to give him we might pour it down histhroat, but as we have nothing we must keep his head up and let him layquiet till daylight, " said Harry. 

David was thoroughly accustomed to boat-sailing, so that he was wellable to keep the boat dead before the wind. The sea came curling upastern, but none broke over her; had even one done so it would have senther to the bottom. A very little conversation took place after this. Only Harry, fearing that he and his friend might lose heart, every nowand then said something to keep up their spirits. It was somewhatforced, it must be owned, for they both saw that their position was verycritical. The hours passed slowly by--now the one, now the other tookthe helm. Morning broke at last; they looked out, expecting to see theland aboard on the starboard hand, but not a glimpse of land wasvisible--nothing but sea and sky on every side around of a leaden greyhue--not a streak in the horizon showed where the sun was rising. Theycould only guess by the wind the points of the compass. Harry proposedhauling up for where they supposed the land to be, but David consideredthat such a proceeding would be dangerous, and that it would be safer torun on till the weather moderated and they could get sail on the boat. They neither of them sufficiently calculated the strength of the tide, which, running for six hours, had carried them many miles to theeastward. The old man was alive, but sat perfectly still at the bottomof the boat. It seemed indeed doubtful if, after remaining in thatstate so long, he would ever recover. Their anxiety prevented them fromfeeling hungry; indeed, as yet, they fancied that they could not bringthemselves to eat raw fish. They now tried various means to bring theold man to consciousness, by rubbing his hands and his feet, andoccasionally his forehead. It is difficult to say whether these meanshad any effect. At length, at all events, he slowly opened his eyes;then he closed them again, and they thought that he was dying. Thenonce more he opened them, and looked about him with a puzzled and painedexpression of countenance. Now he gazed inquiringly at David--now atHarry. 

"Where is Tristram? where is my grandson?" he asked, speaking veryslowly. "Gone! gone! oh, don't say that. What have you done with him, my young masters?"

With sad hearts the boys told him how the accident had happened. 

"Then may God take me to my boy, my poor boy, " he exclaimed hiding hisface in his hands, and sinking back once more into the bottom of theboat. 

CHAPTER THREE. 

WHERE WERE THEY?--RAW FISH--SLEEP--THE BRIG WITHOUT A CREW--AN AGEDCHRISTIAN. 

The gale continued blowing harder than ever, and had not the boat beenbuilt especially to encounter heavy seas, she would very soon have beenswamped. It was only by careful steering, indeed, that this could beavoided, while the two boys took it by turns to bail out the water whichoccasionally came in over the gunwale in rather alarming quantities. Still they did not lose courage. They, however, grew very hungry, andbegan to look wistfully at the hamper of fish. 

"I wish we had a stove of some sort, that we might cook some of thesefish, " said David, holding up a mackerel. "I am getting fearfullyravenous. "

"Just scrape off the scales and take out the inside of one of them, andhand it to me, " answered Harry, who was steering. "I have seen seameneat raw fish, and raw meat too, and the islanders in the South Seas Iknow do, so we must if we are not to starve. "

David prepared the fish as directed, during the intervals of bailing. Still he could not bring himself to eat any. Harry's inside was moreseasoned. A midshipman's berth in those days did not allow of anysqueamishness. 

"Just pour a little water into the tin mug, it will help it down, " hesaid, after he had taken a few mouthfuls of the fish. 

They had found a tin mug, with a jar of fresh water. They husbanded thewater carefully, and David poured out very little, lest it should bejerked out of the mug as the boat was tossed about. Harry dipped thebits of fish into the water before eating them. It took away somewhatof the raw taste, he fancied. Still he very soon came to an end of hismeal. 

"I shall do better another time, " he observed, putting the remainder ofthe fish down by his side, and drinking up the water. 

David sat for some time very silent, bailing out the water. At last helooked into the basket and took out a fish, which he began to scrapewith his knife. He held it in one hand while he bailed with the other, then he scraped a little more, and finally cleaned the fish completely. He looked at it, his lips curled, as is often the case when a person isabout to take nauseous physic. A pang came into his inside. He couldstand the hunger no longer, and, putting the fish between his teeth, hebegan to gnaw away at a great rate. He far outdid Harry. When thewater rose to the side of the boat, he dipped the fish into it. Itadded to the flavour, and made it more digestible. The boys werethankful that there was not much risk of their starving as long as thefish kept good and the water lasted. It was not food that would keepthem in health for any length of time; yet it stopped the pangs ofhunger, and that was a great thing. All this time they were looking outfor some abatement in the gale, but not a break appeared in the mass ofdark lead-coloured clouds which formed a canopy above their heads, reaching down to the horizon on every side. 

"Whereabouts do you think we are?" asked David, after a long silence. 

Harry thought for some time. 

"Somewhere in the chops of the British Channel, to the westward ofScilly, I fear, " he answered. "Possibly, if the wind shifts to thesouthward, we may get driven up the Irish Channel, and then it will be atremendous time before we get home; I may be wrong, but I fear not. "

"That's what I think too, " said David. "I wish that the old man wassensible. We might consult him what to do. "

Old Jefferies, however, continued in the same unconscious state asbefore. They had some hope of getting assistance from any vessels whichmight pass them, but though they saw a number at a distance glidingquickly by, not one came near them. On they drove, further and furtherthey feared from land. Again darkness came on. They were very drowsy, but they feared, should they yield to sleep, that the boat would beswamped. Harry had, he said, more practice in keeping awake, so heinsisted that David should lie down on one of the thwarts and take anhour's rest, while he could steer and bail out at the same time. 

"I can manage it, " answered David, with a yawn, stretching himself outon a seat, and in less than half a minute he was sound asleep. 

Poor Harry had very hard work to keep awake. He could not venture toremain sitting. More than once his eyes closed. Phantom shapes passedbefore his eyes, strange sounds came into his ears, shrieks, cries, andgroans; sometimes he heard, he thought, shouts from afar. His brainswam round. In another instant he would have lost all consciousness. He had to spring to his feet, and to bail away with one hand while heheld the tiller with the other. He would not venture to sit down again;indeed, the high, green, rolling, froth-topped seas, by which he wassurrounded, were sufficient to keep him awake. At last, putting downthe skid, he looked at his watch. It was past six o'clock. David hadslept more than his allotted hour, and yet he could scarcely bringhimself to awake him. 

"Poor fellow, he is not so accustomed to this sort of work as I am, " hesaid to himself. "After that long swim, too, he requires rest, and hadit not been for his courage I should no longer have been in this world. I'll try and keep awake a little longer. "

Harry did his best to do as he intended. He kept moving his feet, hetalked aloud, he sang even. He looked at old Jefferies. He thought hewas nodding his head and answering him, but he could not make out whatwas said. At last he felt that, if David did not wake up and come tohis relief, he should drop down, and the boat would broach to, and theywould all be drowned. 

"David! David!" he tried to cry out, but his tongue seemed to cleave tothe roof of his mouth. Still he kept the tiller in his hand, strivingsteadily. He made one more effort. "David! help! help!" he shouted. David's mind was far away in his father's garden, with his sisters andsweet Mary Rymer. He was telling them about Harry being in danger, buthe had forgotten he was with his friend. At last he heard himselfcalled. He started up, and was just in time to seize the tiller, whichHarry had that instant let slip from his grasp, as he sank down to thebottom of the boat. In another second of time the boat would havebroached to. The gloom of evening was coming on rapidly, and there wasbut a dreary prospect for poor David. He still felt very sleepy, andhad almost as much difficulty in keeping awake as before. He managed todrag Harry to one side, and to place some of the nets under his head asa pillow, but no moving had the effect of rousing him up. David felt ashe had never felt before; sitting there, the only being conscious ofexternal affairs in that lone boat, running on amidst those hugebillows. As long as the gale continued, on the boat must go, he wellknew, or run almost the certainty of being swamped. The short sleep hehad enjoyed had refreshed him, and he thought that he should now be ableto keep awake. He felt very hungry, though. No wonder! Most peoplewould have been hungry who had eaten nothing but raw fish during upwardsof twenty-four hours. He, however, would now have been very glad to getsome more raw fish, but he could not reach the hamper, and he dared notleave the helm for an instant. There was a locker under where he sat. He had just bailed out the boat, when stooping down, he put his hand in, and, feeling round, discovered to his great joy a large piece of bread, the best part of a quartern loaf. It was very stale, but he was notinclined to be particular. Never had he tasted bread so sweet. Hetook, though, only a small portion, as he did not like to eat morewithout having Harry to share it with him, or old Jefferies, if he couldbe aroused. The bread, with a little fresh water, greatly revived him. He thought, indeed, that he should be able to keep awake all the night, if Harry should sleep on. He tried his best. He stood up, then hebailed, but as much less water came into the boat than before, he hadbut little to do in that way. He tried to sing and whistle, but thetunes were somewhat melancholy. The wind was certainly decreasing, andthe sea going down. "I must wake up Harry, and then, if we can butmanage to rig a fore and aft sail, we might haul our wind, and stand tothe north-east, " he said to himself. "But which is the north-east, Iwonder? The wind may have changed, and there is not a break in theclouds. Without a compass, how can we find our way? If the cloudsclear away, the stars would help us--at least, I suppose Harry knows allabout them. I wish that I did. But I was lazy, and to this moment amnot quite certain as to the look of the Polar Bear. I remember that theNorth Star is in that. However, we could not do much yet, and, with herbeam to the sea, the boat would not be steady enough to rig our mastproperly. We must wait patiently till morning. Dear me, how heavy myhead feels! They must be all wondering what has become of us at home. I hope they don't think we are lost. That is the worst part of thebusiness. It will not be pleasant to live upon raw fish for very long, but I suppose that it will keep us alive, and probably we shall fall inwith some vessel or other, which will tow us home. That will be verynice. What a pleasant picnic we had, and Harry to come home just intime, and Mary Rymer, and what a dear--oh! how pleasant--how--" PoorDavid was asleep. No wonder, after having been awake for so many hours, and only just a little more than one hour's rest on a hard plank. Hestill held the tiller, and instinctively moved it to or from him, as hefelt the boat inclined to broach to. His eyes, indeed, were not quiteclosed, so that in reality he saw the seas as they rolled before him, and perhaps steered almost as well as he had done before. Meantime theold man remained in a state of stupor, and Harry slept as soundly as a"church door, " or rather as midshipmen are generally supposed to do. Thus the boat must have gone on for hours. Happily, the wind and seawere going down, or it would have been a serious matter to the boys. Itwill be understood that, after an easterly gale in the Channel, the seagoes down more rapidly than after a westerly one, when there has been acommotion across the whole sweep of the Atlantic. Suddenly a loudconcussion and a continued grating sound made both David and Harry startto their feet, and they saw what seemed a huge black mass towering abovethem. What could it be?

"A ship! a ship!" shouted Harry. "Heave a rope here!"

No one answered. As the boat was slowly rubbing by the side of the ship(for Harry was right in his conjecture), he found a rope hangingoverboard. With the activity of a seaman he secured the end round thefore-thwart of the boat, while David hauled down the sail--not that thatwas of any consequence, as the wind had fallen almost to a calm. AgainHarry, joined by David, shouted loudly, but no one answered. 

"I believe the ship is abandoned, " he observed. "Yes, I am sure she is, for I see no masts. She is not quite so large, either, as I thought atfirst--a brig probably. However, we shall soon have daylight, and knowall about it. "

The dawn was already breaking, but no roseate hue was seen in the sky, to indicate the position of the rising sun. Although the sea had gonedown greatly, still the boat struck heavily every now and then againstthe vessel, as she rolled slowly from side to side. There was, indeed, great danger that she would be stove in, if not altogether swamped. Theboys, therefore, agreed that the sooner they could get on board thebetter. 

"We shall find some food, at all events; and if we can get nothing more, we may shove off again, " observed David. 

"Oh! I hope we shall get much more than that, " exclaimed Harry, in aconfident tone. "What do you think of a compass, and sail, and spars, and rigging for our boat, and if so we shall without difficulty be ableto find our way home. Hurrah! what do you think of that?"

"I did not fancy that we were likely to be so fortunate, " answeredDavid. "To think that we should have run directly against a ship out inthe ocean here! What shall we do now?"

"Why, get on board ourselves, and then hoist the old man up, " answeredHarry. "We must not leave him in the boat, lest she should get stovein. "

The boys quickly scrambled up the ship's side. Both her masts weregone, and the bowsprit had been carried away, with a considerableportion of the bulwarks, when the masts fell, and all her boats andcaboose. Altogether she had a very forlorn appearance, while there wasno sign of a human being on board. Their first care was to get up theold man. Harry leaped down into the cabin of the brig, and instantlyreturned with a long horsehair sofa cushion. "We must pass straps roundthis, and parbuckle him up, " he observed. Fortunately a davit remained. To this they secured a tackle, and David, jumping into the boat to passthe cushion under old Jefferies, they soon had him up safe on deck. They then, having got up the hamper of fish, with the bread and the jarof water, veered the boat away with a hawser astern. They were now ablefor the first time to attend to the old man. They examined his head, and finding where he had been struck, bathed the place with water, andthey also poured a few drops of water down his throat. This seemed torevive him greatly, and at last they thought that they might leave him, to examine the vessel. The cold dull grey light of the early morningenabled them to do so. The brig had not long been deserted, and greatwas their satisfaction to find all sorts of things to eat on board--biscuits, and even soft bread, though it was rather stale, and a box ofeggs, and bacon and cheese, and even some cooked meat, and there werealso melons, and oranges, and dried figs, and grapes, and other fruits, which showed that she had probably come from a warm country, where thesefruits grew; indeed, they afterwards learned from some papers theyfound, that she was the _Fair Ianthe_, and was from the Mediterranean, homeward bound. While Harry and David were examining one of thelockers, they felt something moving against their legs. They lookeddown, and saw a fine white cat, which by her movements, and the pleasedpurrs she gave when she saw that she was noticed, seemed to welcomethem. 

"She must be a fairy, or the good genius of the ship, " exclaimed David. "Or, if she is a mere mortal cat, she must be very hungry, as I am sureI am, so let us go up and breakfast on deck, and try and get the old manto eat something. "

"Do you know, I think that he would do much better down below, if wecould take off his wet things, and put him to bed, " observed Harry. 

To this David agreed, and, after they had eaten a little bread, for theywould not give themselves time to take more, they contrived, withconsiderable exertion, to lower old Jefferies into the cabin, and to puthim into bed. This done, they lighted a fire in the cabin stove, andmade tea and boiled some eggs, and did some rashers. They wisely, also, took off their own wet things, which they hung up to dry, while they puton some clothes which they found in the cabin. What a hearty breakfastthey made!--and if it had not been for the thoughts of the poor lad whohad gone overboard, and the anxiety of their friends, they would havepronounced themselves very jolly. As it was, it cannot be said thatthey were very unhappy. At last they contrived to get old Jefferies toswallow some tea, and a little substantial food, for which he seemedmuch the better, and in a few minutes they had the satisfaction ofseeing him drop off into a sound sleep. 

Harry and David returned to their meal, for they still felt somewhathungry. They soon began to nod, and at last David's head dropped on thetable. 

"I shall be off too, if I don't jump on deck and look after the boat, and see how the weather is, " said Harry. He found the boat secure, butthe weather very dull and far from promising, though there was then butlittle wind. He scanned the horizon. Not a sail was in sight, andunless with a stronger breeze than then blew, none could approach forsome time to come. On examining the vessel he thought that there was nodanger of her sinking; indeed, except that she had lost her mast, hecould not make out why she had been deserted. He judged by the way sherolled that she was slightly leaking, and had made some water. "We'llpump her out by and by, and she will be all right till we get a fairbreeze to return home, " he thought to himself. "Perhaps we may carryher in, and obtain salvage. That would be very fine, better than allthe prize-money I am likely to make for a long time to come. " Such werethe ideas that floated through his mind as he returned to the cabin. Acomfortable-looking bed invited him to rest, and rousing up David for amoment, he made him crawl half asleep into another. Both of them inhalf a second were soundly sleeping, and had the tempest again arisen, they would not probably have awakened then. 

Very different would have been the case had Harry been a captain, butthe cares and responsibilities of midshipmen are light, and theirslumbers sound. Hours passed by, when they both started up, hearing avoice crying out, "Where am I? What has happened? Ah me! ah me!" Itwas old Jefferies who spoke. They went to him. He had returned toconsciousness, and now remembered the loss of his grandson. They didtheir best to comfort the old man. They felt that they had beenremotely the cause of the lad's death. "No fault of yours, younggentlemen, " he answered to a remark one of them had made; "it was God'swill to call the boy home. We must never murmur at what God chooses todo. He knows what's best for us. Ah, if you had heard Mr Wesleypreach, as I often have, you'd understand these things better than youdo, perhaps. " They were glad to let him talk on, as the doing so seemedto divert his mind from his grief. He told them much about the greatpreacher, and among other things that he was never stopped by weatherfrom keeping an appointment, and that though wet through, with his highboots full of water, he would deliver his message of love to anassembled congregation before he would change his garments. 

While they were all asleep the fire had gone out. They relighted it, and cooked an abundance of their fish, and spread their table with it, and several other things they had discovered. They little knew how thetime had gone by, and were therefore greatly surprised to find darknessagain coming on. The two lads hurried on deck, followed by oldJefferies. The sky was still obscured. No land was in sight, and onlytwo or three sails could be observed in the far distance. They watchedthem, but they were steering away from the ship. It was evidently toolate, even if old Jefferies had been strong enough, to leave her thatday. They therefore made up their minds to pass another night on board, and to leave early the next day. 

"If the sky is clear we may do so, " observed Harry. "But I have huntedeverywhere, and can find no compass; so that unless we can see thestars, we shall be unable to steer a right course. If we venture tomake the attempt, we may perhaps find ourselves far away in theAtlantic, and never be able to return. "

CHAPTER FOUR. 

A STORM--THE BOAT LOST--A DISCOVERY--HARRY SAVES DAVID'S LIFE--PUMPING--THE STRANGE SAIL. 

Another night began on board the wreck. The boys, however, saw nothingunpleasant in the prospect. They had plenty of food and firing, theirclothes were dry, old Jefferies appeared to be recovering, and theyhoped he would be able to assist them in navigating the boat homeward. They agreed that they would be up by daylight, and fit the boat with amast and sails and oars, besides loading her with as many provisions asshe could carry. They felt rather chilly, so they made up a fire, andsat chatting over it quite comfortably, till they almost forgot theywere out on the ocean, no land in sight, in a dismasted vessel, and allby themselves. Harry again broached the idea of carrying in the shipherself, but David doubted whether they could manage to do so. Harrythen explained that they might form ury-masts out of a number of sparslashed together, and that sails might be hoisted on these, fixed indifferent parts of the deck. 

"The rudder is in good order, so that we may just as easily find our wayto the land, and into port, I hope, in the ship, as in the boat; whilewe shall be far more comfortable, and not much longer about it, I shouldthink, " he remarked. "I only fear lest an enemy's cruiser should seeus, and either take possession of the brig, or burn her, and carry usoff prisoners. "

"Not much chance of that, I should hope, " answered David. "We shouldnot prove a prize of much value, after all. "

"Oh, indeed! they would think it no small thing to capture a Britishnaval officer, " remarked the young mid, drawing himself up to his fullheight, which was not very great; "and I vote we do not give in withouta fight for it. "

"But I only saw two guns on deck, and I do not think that we should beable to work them, even if we can find powder and shot, " said David. 

"Oh, there is a store of both on board, depend on it, and if we put on abold face, we may drive off an enemy, provided he is not a very bigone, " answered the midshipman. 

Some time was occupied in these discussions. They then went on deck andlooked about them. Though a long slow swell swept as it wereoccasionally across the ocean, the surface was otherwise perfectlysmooth; indeed, there was not a breath of air to disturb it, but a thickmist hung over the sea, which prevented any objects from being seen evenat a short distance off. This was as likely to prove advantageous tothem as the contrary; and so, having taken a short walk on dock, theywent below, said their prayers, found that the old man was asleep, turned in and followed his example. Harry knew perfectly well that, according to strict discipline, a watch ought to have been kept, but heand David agreed that, as there was a calm, they could not be run down, and that the wreck was not likely to drift far from where they thenwere, while it was clearly far pleasanter to be asleep than walking thedeck. Hitherto they had not had time to examine the hold or the forepart of the vessel. This, however, they purposed doing in the morning. Happy time of youth! They slept very soundly and comfortably, lookingforward with confidence to the future, and little dreaming what was tohappen. When people have been deprived of their night's rest, theyfrequently sleep a very long time on a stretch. Harry was awaked byDavid, who exclaimed--

"Dear me! the ship is tumbling about fearfully; the gale must havesprung up again. "

He then heard old Jefferies say, in a weak voice, "What, lads, are youthere? I was afraid that you had deserted the old man. "

"No, no, we would not do that, " answered David. "But I am afraid thatthe ship must be shaken to pieces if this continues. "

"If she has floated through one gale she may float through another. Wemust trust in God, " said the old man. "Ah me! I am very feeble. If wecouldn't put our faith in Him, we should be badly off indeed. I cannothelp myself, much less you. "

Harry was by this time fully awake, and called David to follow him ondeck, to ascertain what was the matter. When David got there, he wishedhimself below again. The gale had returned with tenfold fury, and thehelpless ship was driving before it, surrounded by high foaming androaring seas; the mist had cleared away, but the clouds were as thick asever, chasing each other across the sky. Nothing else was to be seen. Mountain waves and dark clouds almost pressing down on their heads--nosail in sight to bring them assistance. So violently was the shiptossed about, that they could scarcely keep their feet, even by holdingon. 

"Oh, the boat! the boat!" shouted David. Just before, they had seen herstill afloat, secured by the hawser, when a heavy sea, rolling towardsthe ship, broke aboard the boat, and filled her in an instant. She roseon the top of a high foaming sea, when the thwart to which the two ropeswere secured was torn out of her, and the next moment she sunk fromsight. The boys looked at each other for a minute or more withoutspeaking. 

"We shall have to stick to the ship now, at all events, " said Harry atlast. 

"I hope that the ship will stick to us, and keep afloat, then, " remarkedDavid. 

"We'll sound the well presently, and see what water she has in her, "said Harry. "In the meantime, let us go down into the hold, and see ofwhat her cargo consists. Much depends on that, whether or not she keepsafloat. I want to have a look into the fore peak also; I cannot makeout why the vessel should have been deserted. "

The main hatch was on, and as it would have been dangerous to lift it, even if they could have done so, when any moment the deck might havebeen swept by a sea, they worked their way on to the fore hatch. Thiswas not secured. They descended. It was some time before they couldsee about them in the close, dark, and dirty abode of the seamen. Oneither side were bed-places, one above another, with a few large woodenchests below them, and jackets and trousers, and various other articles, hanging up against the bulkhead. They observed nothing of consequence, and as the atmosphere was stirring, they were about to climb up again ondeck, when a low groan was heard. Both were brave fellows, but it mustbe confessed that their hearts sunk, and their first impulse was tohurry up the ladder as fast as they could go. Again there was a groan. They looked at each other. Was it a human voice? There could be littledoubt about that. Where could it come from? They stopped for a fewseconds, holding on to the ladder, to recover their composure. Thevoice came from one of the berths; of that they were soon satisfied. Just then Harry observed a small locker close to the ladder, and puttingin his hand found a candle and tinder-box. A light was soon struck; andthey approached the berth whence the groans had proceeded. It is notsurprising that they should have started back with horror. The dimlight of the candle fell on the ghastly features of a human being, who, except that his eyes moved wildly, might have been taken for a corpse. His beard was long and tangled, and blood, which had flowed from afearful gash across his brow, stained the blankets in which he waswrapped. His eyes were staring wildly, his mouth was open. He seemedat the point of death. Yet he was not dying of starvation, for withinhis reach hung a bottle of water and a bag of biscuits. Why, however, he had been deserted was a mystery which he himself seemed incapable ofsolving. In vain Harry and David asked him. Not a word did he speak inanswer to their questions. He was, however, conscious of theirpresence, they thought, by the way his eyes followed them as they movedabout the cabin. Had they discovered him before, they might have beenof some assistance to him, but they could not now even attempt to movehim into another berth. David, however, undertook to get some betterfood from the cabin. Harry did not feel altogether comfortable whenleft alone with the dying man. He looked so horrible, and the groanswhich he uttered were so fearful. David seemed to be absent a longtime. He did not like to leave the wretched man, or he would have goneto look for him. What could have become of David? The sea every nowand then washed with a loud sound across the deck. Could he have beencarried away by it? How dreadful the thought! He went back to thedying man, and stood over him, hoping that he might return, toconsciousness. Suddenly the man sat up, and pointing with his thin handacross the cabin, uttered a loud shriek, and sinking back was a corpse. The young midshipman was left alone in the dark fore peak of the sinkingvessel. The sad thought came across him that perhaps he might be theonly living person on board. Old Jefferies was apparently on the pointof death, and perhaps David had been washed overboard. As he could beof no use where he was, he determined to ascertain the worst, andclimbed up on deck, immediately closing the hatch again. He lookedabout him. David was not to be seen. Even during the time he had beenbelow matters had grown worse--the ship was tumbling about more thanever, and the seas, which rose high above the bulwarks, seemed everyinstant about to engulf her. But where was David? He worked his way, not without great danger of being carried overboard, to the companionhatch, over which, stooping down, he shouted David's name. His heartsank within him. There was no answer. "David! David!" he cried again. "Oh, David, where are you?" Was his dear brave friend really gone?Just then he observed that some rigging had been washed over thestarboard quarter, and he fancied that he heard a faint cry. From thetemporary position of the wreck, the sea ceased just then to breakaboard. Harry sprang aft, and there, clinging desperately to therigging, now almost under water, now lifted into the air, as the sternof the ship was thrown upwards, he saw David. His friend recognisedhim, but seemed unable to speak. Though Harry could not swim he couldclimb well, and was strong and active. His immediate impulse was tofasten a rope round his own waist, the other end secured round astanchion, and to spring towards David. "We will die together, " he saidto himself as he did so, "or I will save him. May we be protected!" Healighted on a spar close to David, whose arm he saw was caught by arope, from which he could not disengage himself. To do this without therisk of his friend being washed away was no easy task. He succeeded atlength, however, in doing so, and by an effort, of which he would nothave thought himself capable, he scrambled up on deck again by means ofthe tangled mass of ropes, and tattered sails and spars, which hungoverboard. Then, dreading that another sea would come and sweep themback together into the seething ocean, they tottered to the companionhatchway, down which Harry half dragged, half carried his friend, closing the hatch above him. Scarcely had he done so than a tremendousblow on the hatch, and the loud rushing sound of the water as it passedover the deck, told them that another sea had broken aboard, which wouldin all probability have swept them away to destruction. They fell ontheir knees in thankfulness as they reached the cabin, that they hadbeen thus providentially preserved. They then went to the berth inwhich old Jefferies lay. He was still too weak to move, but perfectlysensible. They told him what had just occurred, and of the death of thepoor seaman whom they had discovered in the fore peak. He could notconjecture why the man had been left there. The boys, however, thoughtthat, by examining all the papers, they might elucidate the mystery. They feared, from the appearance of the poor stranger, that some fouldeed had been done on board. Now, however, they were more concernedabout themselves. The brig had hitherto withstood all the buffeting shehad received without apparently leaking much, but would she continue todo so? Old Jefferies thought not. He had heard, he said, strangesounds as he lay in bed, which he knew well proceeded from water forcingits way into the hold, or rather from the air which was thereby forcedout--groans, and sighs, and low cries. 

"Some people, when they hear these sounds for the first time, think thatthe ship is full of ghosts and spirits, and that they are crying outthat she is going down, " observed the old man. "But I know better. Iwish that I hadn't heard them, for they make me sad. Not for myself, though, for I am well-nigh worn out, and that poor boy's death weighsheavy on me. I daren't face his grandmother, and tell her that he isgone. But, boys, I am sorry for you. You are young and full of life, and there are many who love you on shore, and will mourn your loss. "

"What, do you think that the ship is going down?" exclaimed Harry andDavid together, in a very natural tone of dismay. 

"It would be cruel in me not to tell you so, and I hope that you areprepared to die, my boys, " answered the old man. "Still I don't say butthat in God's mercy you may escape. A vessel may heave in sight in timeto take you off, or you may build a raft, and it may float you till youare picked up. I don't say give in, but be prepared for the worst. "

The boys listened calmly to what the old man said. 

"We will hope for the best, rig the pumps, and try and keep her free, "answered Harry. 

"Not much hope of that, I fear, " said the old man. "We can but try, "exclaimed David. "Let us go on deck at once, and see what we can do. "

"You may be washed overboard if you go now on deck, " said old Jefferies. "You must wait till the sea goes down again somewhat, and you may thenpump away with a will. "

The latter part of this advice the boys agreed, after waiting some time, to disregard. If the ship was sinking, the sooner the water could bepumped out of her the better. They fancied, also, that she rolled lessthan before. In spite of the old man's warnings, they once more, therefore, found their way on deck. The state of the wreck seemedalmost hopeless, but, like brave boys as they were, they still kept totheir resolution of trying to pump out the water. They fortunatelyfound the brake of the pump, as the handle is called, and shipping it, began to work away with might and main. The water quickly came up in aclear, bright stream, which told too plainly, without their sounding thewell, the large amount of water which had either leaked in or found itsway below. They had left their coats and shoes in the cabin, everythingthat would encumber them, in case they should be washed from their hold. The waves rose up around them, the spray in dense showers dashing everyinstant over their heads, and almost blinding them when it struck themin the face. Still undaunted they stood at their post. 

"This must tell, " exclaimed David, as he watched the full stream flowingfrom the pump. "If we get the ship clear, all may yet be well. "

"It may be coming in faster than we are pumping it out, " said Harry. "Still it may keep us afloat till help comes. "

"I am afraid that there is not much prospect of that, " said David. "Though, to be sure, we cannot be so very far from land, or thosescreeching seagulls would not be hovering about us. "

"They have powerful wings, and can fly a long way from land, " observedHarry. "Those come probably from the west coast of Ireland. "

These remarks were made at intervals and by jerks, as it were, whilethey stopped pumping for an instant to change their position. They wereencouraged to persevere, first, by believing that their efforts wereproducing some effect on the amount of water in the ship, and then, byobserving that the sea was again going down. During one of theseintervals, when the wreck had been thrown higher up than usual, Harryexclaimed, "A sail! a sail! she is standing this way. "

The glimpse was momentary, and before David could catch sight of thestranger the ship had again sunk into the trough of the sea. In vainDavid looked out for the ship. Still Harry asserted that he was notmistaken. After pumping for some time they were compelled to knock offfrom fatigue. For fear of being washed away they lashed themselves tothe stump of the nearest mast, and thus secured they lay down on the wetdeck to rest. Again they rose bravely to their work, but each tune theyhad to stop pumping they rested for a longer period, and continuedpumping after it for a shorter period. 

David, at last, caught sight of the vessel Harry had seen, and was alsoof opinion that she was approaching them. The hope of being saved, which had never died, now grew stronger and stronger. Now, as the wreckwas lifted up the side of a sea, or the stranger mounted a foamingbillow, her whole hull was visible, and they saw she was a long, lowblack schooner. Even at that distance Harry did not like herappearance. To satisfy himself he went to the companion hatch, insideof which a telescope was hung up. With it both he and David took a moreexact examination of the stranger, and came to the same conclusion. 

"She is not an English craft, of that I am certain, " observed Harry. "She may be a privateer, but is more like those rascally pirates whoinfest the West Indies and African coast, and used to be found down onthe Spanish main; she has a large crew, too, I see. Now, I suspect, ifwe were to get aboard her the fellows would make us join them or walkthe plank. Still, it might be better to pretend to enter on board thanto go down with this wreck. What do you say?"

"If yonder craft is of the character you fancy, I say let us stick tothe wreck; but we will ask old Jefferies what he thinks about it--wewouldn't leave him on any account; at the same time, if he wishes to go, I should say that we ought to go. "

"I agree with you, " answered Harry. "Let us pump away till she getsnearer, and then we will go and consult Jefferies. "

The schooner approached, and a nearer view only confirmed the boys intheir opinion of her character. Why she came near the wreck it wasdifficult to say. Another look through the spy-glass showed them anumber of men on board and several guns on her deck. 

"I do not suppose they will trouble themselves about us unless we hailthem, and then, perhaps, they might endeavour to take us off the wreck, but I am not quite certain about it, " observed Harry. They werestanding while speaking inside the companion hatch, with their headsjust above it. 

The schooner was coming up fast. Suddenly the ports nearest them wereopened, wreaths of smoke burst forth, and several shots whistled closeabove their heads, one going through the bulwarks and ploughing up thedeck. Their impulse was to jump below. They could do nothing to helpthemselves, but they hoped that the strangers would not continue to makea target of them. 

Jefferies had heard the shots, and wondered why they had been fired. When they told him their suspicions, he advised them to keep below. 

"I have my thoughts on the subject, " he remarked. "Hark! they arefiring again; there! another shot struck the ship. If it was not forthe heavy sea running we should be worse off than we are. It is no easymatter to take aim from the deck of a craft tumbling about as theschooner must be. If it was, depend upon it there would be a score ormore sent into the brig between wind and water. "

"But why should the schooner's people be so anxious to make a target ofthe brig?" asked David. 

"To sink her, " answered the old man. "They think, if fallen in with, she might tell a tale they don't wish to have known. That's my notion, but I may be wrong. "

"There they go again at it!" exclaimed Harry. "Two shots struck us. Don't you think, David, that we had better go on deck and showourselves? They would scarcely try to sink the wreck if they found thatthere were people on board, even though they might not take us off. "

"The very reason that would make them still more anxious to send us tothe bottom. You had better not show yourselves, " said the old man; butthe lads did not hear him, for they were already on their way on deck. 

CHAPTER FIVE. 

MAKING A RAFT--AFLOAT ON IT--THE GRIEF AT HOME--CAPTAIN RYMER'SAPPOINTMENT--THE VOYAGE. 

That raging sea, which it appeared at first would prove the destructionof those on board the brig, was in reality the means of theirpreservation. Just as the boys got their heads above the companionhatch, another whole broadside was let fly, and though many of the shotspassed over the ship, two or three struck her between wind and water. Had the sea been calmer, many more probably would have found their waythrough her sides, and she must instantly have gone to the bottom. Suchwas the fate the boys, not without good reason, now anticipated for her. Another broadside would prove sufficient. 

"Had we not better show ourselves, and ask to be taken on board?" saidDavid. 

"What, boys, and be murdered!" cried the old man from below. "Stick tothe ship, and don't trust those villains. There's One who will takecare of you if you put faith in Him. "

"Old Jefferies is right. Let us die rather than go on board thepirate, " said Harry. 

Once more they climbed up the companion ladder, from which they hadjumped down at the last broadside. They watched the schooner. She hadtacked, as if about to run down close to them, and deliver anotherbroadside. Seeing this, they were prepared to leap back into the cabin, when suddenly she hauled her tacks aboard, and stood directly away fromthem. Did her crew believe that the shots they had fired would speedilyeffect their supposed purpose, and take the brig to the bottom, or werethey only firing for practice? As soon as the schooner had got a littledistance off, the boys jumped on deck and hurried to the pump. Harryfirst sounded the well. His face grew very serious. 

"David, " he said, "the water has gained fearfully on us. The shot-holesmust be letting in the water fast, and I do not think that the brig canfloat another hour--perhaps not ten minutes. "

"What are we to do, then?" asked David. 

"Build a raft, " answered Harry. "There are plenty of spars. I saw somecarpenter's tools and large nails in the cabin, and we may break off thehatches. They will help us. We must be sharp about it, though. "

Of this there could be no doubt. That they might give the old fishermana better chance of saving his life, they agreed to get him up first. Bytaking an abundance of food and rest, he had greatly recovered hisstrength, and was now able to do as they proposed. 

"If I cannot work, I may give you my advice, " he observed. "I have morethan once had to trust to a raft for my life. "

The cat followed them on deck. The old man shook his head when he sawher. 

"She knows that the cabin is no longer a safe place for her, and thatshe will be better off up here, " he said, as the boys placed him on aheavy coil of rope near the mainmast. The ship was happily more quietthan she had before been, and the boys, having collected all the sparsand planks they could find, as well as some chairs and a table from thecabin, commenced, under old Jefferies' directions, to form the proposedraft. They worked away with all their might, knowing well that a fewminutes' delay would be fatal. A large raft was not required, as it hadto support only three persons and their provisions. The great thing wasto make it strong enough. They brought up all the small rope they couldfind and lashed the stoutest of the spars together, so as to form anoblong framework, with a centre spar as a keel. They further securedthem with large nails. Then they placed planks and smaller spars acrossthis, with the table, top downwards, and the chairs on their backs, secured to it. They managed to wrench off two of the cabin doors, andthese, nailed down and lashed across the raft, raised the deck andincreased its strength. Besides the chairs, there were some strongstools in the cabin. These they nailed down at each corner, and securedthem also by lashings, with their legs up. They then passed ropes roundthe legs, thus forming a sort of bulwark that might save them from beingwashed off the raft. They had still much to do after this before theraft would be complete. They wanted a couple of chests in which to keeptheir provisions, a cask for water, a mast and sails, and oars, andblankets to keep them warm at night. They had been some time at work, and the water was already over the cabin floor. Any attempt to save thevessel was now hopeless. Harry, happening to look up, saw what, had hebeen on the watch, he would have observed long before, a large ship, under a press of sail, at no great distance. Was the wreck seen bythose on board? If so, their prospect of escape was greatly improved. They hoped that they were seen, for although they were thankful thatthey had had time to form a raft, they knew well that at best it was aperilous means of support, that it might be upset or dashed to pieces, or that they might float about on it unseen till all their provisionsand water were exhausted, and then die of starvation and thirst. Theyearnestly hoped, therefore, that they might be seen from the passingship. They had reserved a short spar as a mast for the raft. To thisthey fastened a flag, and secured it to the mainmast. So occupied werethey, indeed, in watching the stranger, that for a few minutes theyforgot to go on with their raft, till recalled by old Jefferies tocontinue the important work. They had now to search for some chests. They had seen several in the fore peak. It was with a degree of awe, perhaps not altogether free from fear, that they again went to where thedead seaman lay. They quickly cut two chests clear of the lashingswhich secured them, and were emptying them of their contents, when theycame upon a box or case, the size of an ordinary writing-case. It wasof foreign manufacture, and secured with strong brass bands. Whentaking it out with other things, Harry heard a sound like the chink ofmoney within. He shook it. There was no doubt about the matter. "We'll keep it. It may be useful, and it is our lawful prize, " heobserved, as he put it back into the chest. Fastening ropes to thehandles of the chests, they were soon hauled on deck, and secured to theraft. Now came the important work of provisioning their ark of safety. They had already got on deck some biscuits, and salt beef and porkuncooked. They again descended for more articles which they had seen, and which, together with some blankets, they brought up. Once more theywent below, and even during the short time they had been on deck, theyobserved that the water had considerably risen. Still they werepersevering in their search for more provisions, when old Jefferies'voice summoned them hastily on deck. 

"She is going down!--she is going down!" he shouted. 

They rushed up, and had just time to drag him on to the raft, and toseize the oars and spars they had got ready, when the vessel's bow rose, and her stern gradually sank, till she glided away towards the bottom, literally from beneath their feet. Just before this the cat, who seemeddetermined to stick to the vessel to the last, made a spring on to theraft, where she stood trembling with fear and astonishment at thedisappearance of her home. As soon as the water reached the raft, bymeans of the poles they shoved off from the wreck, and then pulled awaywith all their might, so as completely to clear her. The raft rockedviolently, and, in spite of all their efforts, seemed dragged towardsthe vortex formed by the sinking vessel. In another instant the brigwas no longer to be seen, and her secret, whatever it was, was buriedwith her. They looked anxiously around. The ship was standing in thedirection the schooner had gone. They floated alone on that wild, stormy waste of waters. The old man had been placed in the middle ofthe raft, while the boys took their places on either side of him, endeavouring with the oars to keep the raft before the seas. Amongother things placed on it were some carpenter's tools, spars, blankets, and a good supply of rope. They had thus the means of rigging a mast. They did this by nailing boards between the two front legs of the table, and lashing the mast to the middle of the boards, while they carriedstays forward and on either side. The wind was so much warmer, thatthey supposed it must have shifted to the west, though the thick cloudswhich still shrouded the sky prevented them from finding out the pointsof the compass. By Jefferies' advice, they continued making thearrangements which have been described, though they still hoped theymight be seen from the passing ship, which Harry declared to be thefrigate to which he belonged--the _Ariadne_. At last, however, they hadto abandon this hope, as the frigate continued her course, in chase, apparently, of the mysterious schooner. Unless seen by some othervessel, Harry and David felt that they must now, humanly speaking, depend on their own exertions for reaching the shore. Harry rigged amast; they next fitted a sail, and with no small satisfaction hoistedit. By fixing an oar so as to act as a rudder astern, the raft, as soonas the sail was hoisted, behaved remarkably well, and glided over theseas with considerable ease and rapidity. Their spirits rose again, forthey fully believed that they should in two or three days reach eitherthe English or the Irish coast. They had no idea how far to thewestward they had been driven. By degrees the sea went down, which wasvery pleasant, but so also did the wind, till it became a perfect calm. An end was thus put to their hopes of soon reaching the land. However, they were far more comfortable than they had been for some time. Theafternoon sun shone out brightly, and dried their clothes; and they hadplenty to eat--biscuits, and cooked meat, and cheese and butter, andfigs and raisins, and several other fruits, and some bottles of wine, ofwhich they wisely partook very sparingly. It, however, did the old manmuch good, and he appeared to have recovered both his strength andspirits. Although well off in many respects, they had, however, ascarcity of one article, without which they could not hope to prolongexistence. That was water. They could only secure one small cask, andthey saw, therefore, that they must husband the precious liquid with thegreatest care. 

They now floated tranquilly on the calm waters, and though they wouldfar rather have been sailing northward, they were thus enabled tostrengthen the raft, and to prepare for it encountering any more roughweather which might come on. They had made old Jefferies as comfortableas they could in the centre of the raft, and they soon had the satisfaction of finding that he had fallen asleep. Having accomplished allthat could be done, they began to chat away as composedly as if nothingvery particular had occurred. They went on, indeed, almost with theconversation which had been interrupted when they discovered that therock on which they were sitting was surrounded by water. Strange tosay, Harry expressed no wish or intention of leaving the profession hehad embraced should they reach the shore, while David was as determinedas ever to enter it should he be able to obtain his father's leave. Nowonder, when the long list of glorious victories won by the British navywas fresh in the memory of the nation, and naval officers in all socialcircles were looked upon and courted as heroes. At length old Jefferiesawoke. 

"Now, boys, you must take your rest, " he said. "You have watched forme, and now I'll watch for you. It won't do for us all to nap together, and if I see any change I'll call you. Never fear, puss and I will lookafter the ship. "

The boys did not require a second bidding, but stretching themselvesinside the legs of the upturned table, were soon fast asleep. 

We must now return for a short time to their friends on shore. PoorMrs Merryweather was almost broken-hearted on being at length compelledto give up all hopes of ever again seeing her gallant son, and on beingable to account in no other way for his and his friend's disappearancethan that they had fallen over a cliff, or been washed away by the sea. She knew where to go for comfort and consolation; and her chiefsatisfaction, when she heard that old Mrs Jefferies had lost herhusband and grandson on the same night, was to show her whence she couldderive the same consolation she herself had found. It was a sore trialto the poor old woman. Mr and Mrs Morton also did their best tocomfort her; indeed, had it not been for them she would have beencompelled to resort to the workhouse for support. They sympathised withthe old woman, not because they were aware of the service her husbandhad rendered those dear to them, but because, as they supposed, a likecalamity had overtaken her and themselves at the same time. Still MrMorton did not cease for a long time to have search made for them, tillat length he was with a sad heart compelled to give it up in despair. Captain Rymer sympathised heartily with his neighbour's misfortune, andpretty little Mary shed many a tear for the loss of her two friends. Several months passed by, and still no news came of the lost ones. Withgreat reluctance the two families at length went into mourning. It wasa sad day, for it was an acknowledgment that hope was given up, and thatthe two dear lads were no longer among the living. 

One morning Captain Rymer and his family were seated at breakfast; MrsRymer had just poured out a cup of tea, and Mary had handed it to himwith a slice of toast which she had carefully buttered, when thepost-bag was brought into the room. He opened it, and drew forth a longofficial-looking envelope. 

"No other letter?" asked his wife. 

"No, not one; and this is probably of no great importance either, " heanswered, placing it by his side, and beginning to eat the toast Maryhad just given him. Captain Rymer had been actively engaged during thewhole of the late war in many dangerous and arduous services, and, likeother officers, felt somewhat aggrieved that his services had not beenfully recognised. He had frequently applied for some civil appointment, but his requests had not been attended to, and the only results werepolite answers, couched in the same official language, stating that hismerits would be duly considered. At last he made up his mind that hewas to be laid on the shelf, and that he should never get anything. However, when he had finished his toast, he opened the letter. 

"This is indeed what I little expected, " he exclaimed. "I am appointedas Lieutenant-Governor of Saint -- in the West Indies. It is one of themost healthy of the islands. I have often been there; indeed, it is inconsequence of my knowledge of the inhabitants that I have beenselected; and you will all be able to accompany me. "

This information, as may be supposed, caused a great deal of excitementin the family. As Captain Rymer was ordered to proceed at once, therewas no time to be lost in making the necessary preparations. Theirfriends called to congratulate, and at the same time to express theirregret at losing them. The Mortons, and poor Mrs Merryweather, wouldcertainly miss them more than anybody else. Mary could not help lookingforward with pleasure to the interesting places she would probablyvisit, and the new style of life she would have to lead; though she wasvery sorry to leave so many kind friends, and the attached servants, whocould not accompany them. In those days outfits were not to beprocured, nor other arrangements made, so rapidly as at present, andCaptain Rymer found it impossible to be ready to sail in the shipappointed to carry him out. He had, therefore, to take his passage in aWest India trader, to sail a few weeks later. The _Betsy_ was a finelarge ship, carrying guns, to enable her to defend herself against thepirates and small privateers, often no better, which at that timeinfested the Caribbean Sea, and especially on the Spanish main and roundthe coast of Cuba. The cabins of the _Betsy_, on board which manywealthy West India planters frequently came backwards and forwards, werefor their accommodation fitted up in a style of luxury seldom found onboard merchantmen in general. The _Betsy_ put into Falmouth to take thefamily and their baggage on board. She then had to remain till joinedby several other West India ships. Everything was then made ready forsailing, and a bright look-out was kept for another fleet, bound in thesame direction, coming down channel under convoy of two men-of-war. They were at length descried, and the ships in Falmouth harbourimmediately got under weigh, and stood out to join them. At that time, although most of the men-of-war carrying the flag of England's enemieshad been swept from the seas, a large number of their privateers stillremained to annoy and often injure her commerce. It was therefore notconsidered safe for merchantmen to sail without the protection of one ormore men-of-war. Mary was delighted with the appearance of the cabins, so luxurious compared to what she had expected; and she was still morepleased when, on going on deck, she observed a large fleet of statelyships with which she was surrounded. The water was calm, the sky clear, and the sun shone brightly on the pyramids of white canvas towering upfrom the black, shining, freshly painted hulls which floated on the blueocean in all directions. On the outskirts were the still more statelymen-of-war, their bright-coloured signal flags continually moving up anddown, while they occasionally fired a gun either on one side or theother, in rather a difficult attempt to keep their somewhat refractorycharges on their proper course. Mary, after watching the manoeuvres ofthe men-of-war and the fleet of merchant vessels for some time, exclaimed--

"Why, papa, they put me in mind of a herd of cattle driven through thecountry, the drovers running here and there, shouting loudly, andsending their sharp barking dogs now to one side, now to the other, tokeep them together. "

"Not a bad idea, Mary, " answered Captain Rymer. "But should thickweather come on, or a heavy gale spring up, the work will be much moredifficult. Sometimes a whole herd, as you would call them, isscattered, and lions or wolves occasionally pounce down on the weakest, and carry them off. "

"I hope that will not be our fate, papa, " said Mary, timidly. 

"No fear of that, dearest. I am sorry that I should have put such anotion into your head, " answered Captain Rymer. "The _Betsy_ is awell-found ship, well manned and well armed, and Captain Bolton has thecharacter of being a first-rate seaman, so that we have every reason forexpecting to arrive in safety at our destination. "

"Oh, I am not at all afraid, " said Mary. "Besides, you know, papa, wecan pray to be protected; and what a comfort it is, and how brave itshould make us, to know that God hears our prayers, and will grant themwhenever He sees that to do so is best for us!"

What a support in daily life, what a consolation to the voyager over thestormy ocean, is a firm confidence in that glorious truth!

CHAPTER SIX. 

ON THE RAFT--THE SHARK--THE SEA-FIGHT. 

The raft still floated uninjured; the sea continued perfectly calm. Harry and David retained their health and spirits, hoping that theyshould reach the land at last; and the old man appeared to be steadilyrecovering. The calm tried them in one respect more than when the windblew, because after the raft had been strengthened they had nothing todo. They talked of the past and of the future, but even friends cannottalk on all day, especially if they are hungry and thirsty, and areanxious about any matter. At last David recollected that they had takensome fishing lines and hooks out of the boat, and thrown them with otherarticles on the raft. They were soon discovered, and the lads flatteredthemselves that they had nothing more to do than to bait the hooks, ifbait could be found, and to throw them overboard. Old Jefferies smiledwhen he saw their preparations, and told them that, although certainfish were to be caught occasionally in the open sea, the greater numberwere to be found along the coasts of the different countries of theworld. "To my mind God has so ordered it that all the fish which bestserve for the food of man swim round and round the coasts of thecountries of the world, in shallow water, where they can be got at andcaught, or else they visit certain known spots, like the banks ofNewfoundland, or the fishing grounds in the North Sea. Now if they alllived in the deep seas, or kept wandering about to all parts just asfancy led them, fishermen would never know where to go and look forthem. Instead of that, as I have said, as the seasons come round, Godleads them to the same places and almost on the same day every year; andso the fisherman is prepared with his nets or lines to catch them. However, I don't mean to say that there are no fish out even inmid-ocean, and if we get our lines, perhaps we shall catch some. "

The lines were fitted in different ways; one with a heavy lead that itmight sink towards the bottom, the other to throw to a distance, andthen to drag quickly back again. The chief difficulty was with regardto the bait. David, however, proposed using a piece of salt pork, though old Jefferies thought that no fish would bite at it. 

"I'll try, at all events, " he answered; and baiting his hook he threw itskilfully to a considerable distance. He tried over and over again tillhis arm grew tired, while Henry let his line down to its entire end, butneither of them got a bite. 

"Very little use, I am afraid, " said Harry, drawing up his line. 

"Let it hang out, at all events. It can do no harm, and something maytake a fancy to it, " observed David, again throwing his own line. "Halloa! I have got something--a big fellow, too--he'll pull me off theraft if I don't take care. Lend a hand, Harry. "

Harry took hold of the line. Now they were able to haul in some of theline, and then again the fish swam off in an opposite direction, actually moving the raft. 

"It may be a porpoise, " said Harry. 

"Perhaps it is a shark!" exclaimed David. "It can't be a young whale. "

"It is a big fish of some sort, of that there is no doubt, " respondedHarry. "The fellow will get tired before long, and then we will makehim show his nose. "

"If he does not cut through the line before that, " observed oldJefferies, who would not pronounce as to what fish it was. 

"If the line does not break I have little fear of its being cut through, for there is a long shank to the hook, and the line has never beenslack, " answered David, hauling in more of the line. 

The fish, if such it was, at length began to grow weary of towing theraft, and allowed himself to be drawn nearer and nearer till his mouthwas seen for an instant close to the surface. 

"Ah! I know him, " exclaimed old Jefferies. "A shark! a shark! he's asmischievous a fellow as any that swims, though he will hurt no one whodoes not put his hand down his mouth. "

He explained that the fish they had hooked was the _blue shark_, which, although he does not attempt to take the fisherman's life, is yet one ofhis greatest foes. If he cannot bite through a line he often rolls itround and round himself in a way that is most difficult for thefisherman to undo; and sometimes he will swim among the nets, killingthe fish in mere wantonness apparently, and biting the meshes. Now andthen, however, he gets caught himself--a small satisfaction consideringthe damage he causes. 

It took some time before his sharkship was wearied out, and when atlength he was hauled up on the raft, it was found that he had contrivedto wind several fathoms of the line round his body. From the linehaving been kept tight, it was not so cleverly twisted as is often thecase, and a blow on the tail quieted him before he had managed furtherto wriggle it round himself after he was out of the water. When theline was unwound, and the shark stretched out, he was a handsome-lookingfish of a blue lead colour, about four feet long. Harry and David didnot feel disposed to eat any of the shark, but when assured by the oldfisherman that neither he nor any of his ancestors had ever touchedflesh, they got over their reluctance, and as their appetites told themit was dinner-time, they each took a thin slice with some biscuit. Theyagreed that when cooked it would be tolerable food. 

After this meal David, having got his line in order, and both theirlines being baited with shark, they commenced fishing. After some timeHarry got a bite. 

"A fine fish, I am sure, by the way he tugged, " he exclaimed, hauling upthe line. 

It came up very easily, though, and instead of the large fish heexpected, a small whiting appeared. Several others were pulled up insuccession. As Harry was hauling in his line after a bite, he felt aheavy weight suddenly come on it. Still he was able to get it in. 

"It is something curious, but what it can be I am sure I don't know, " heexclaimed, hauling away, while David looked eagerly on. 

"What a monster!" they cried out both together, when a huge mass, withwhat looked like a number of snakes wriggling about round it, was seenon the surface amidst a circle of dark water. 

"That's a squid, " remarked old Jefferies. "Some of them are awkwardcustomers in the water, but he can do you very little harm out of it. "

The truth of this last assertion was put to the test when, in spite ofits struggles, the creature was hauled up on the raft, and its long armschopped off. It had expected simply to catch a whiting, and had itselfbeen caught by the hook sticking through the whiting's mouth. It wasvery untempting-looking for food, though they might have preferred it toshark flesh. The whiting, however, supplied them with as much fish asthey could eat raw. Altogether they agreed that they had had a goodevening's sport, and that if they could have forgotten where they were, and that their friends were anxious about them, they should have enjoyedthemselves amazingly, only that they should have preferred cooked fishto raw. As night, however, crept on, they began to feel the lonelinessand helplessness of their position. Still, the calm continued, and thestars shone forth, each spark of light being reflected in themirror-like ocean; and Harry made out the polar star, and wished thatthere was a good breeze that they might steer by it towards England. The air was very chilly, but as they had saved several blankets, theywrapped themselves up, and kept tolerably warm. As they had not got alantern or candle, or any means of striking a light, they could donothing, and so they chatted away till they both went off to the land ofdreams. 

"Sleep on, my poor lads, " said the old man, guessing by their silencewhat had happened. "You little think of the danger you are in. If agale springs up, how is this small raft to weather it? For myself, I amworn out, and my time must come in a year or two, or a few months it maybe; but life is fresh and pleasant for the young lads. Well, well, Godis kind and just. He knows what is best for them. His will be done. "

The lives of most men are metaphorically varied by storms and calms, clouds and sunshine, and so in reality was the existence of our twoyoung friends on the raft. The night passed away quietly, and towardsmorning the old man, in spite of his intentions to keep watch, fellasleep. David was the first to rouse up. The sun had not risen, but astreak of red in the sky showed in what quarter he was about to appear. David stood up to look around him. He would not call Harry till it wasnecessary, for he was sleeping so calmly, with a smile on hiscountenance, dreaming of some pleasant scenes at home, probably with hismother and sister present. As David was thus standing up, holding on tothe mast, he felt a light air fan his cheek. It came from the south. He turned his eyes in that direction to look for a further sign of thewished-for breeze. As he did so he observed in the horizon a sail--hejudged a large ship. Directly afterwards another appeared, in adifferent part of the horizon. He watched them attentively for sometime. Their sails were filled with wind, and they seemed to be drawingnearer to each other, and also nearer to the raft. As soon as it struckDavid that this was the case, he could no longer resist the temptationof rousing up his companion. Harry sprang to his feet. Midshipmen donot rub their eyes and yawn, and groan and growl, before they get up, especially if they happen to be sleeping on a raft in the chops of thechannel. 

"Yes, they are standing this way, " he exclaimed. "They are frigates, and what is more, though one is English, I doubt by the cut of the sailswhether the other is. "

"At all events we shall have a good chance of being picked up, " saidDavid. 

"I hope so; but if an idea which has struck me is correct, they willhave too much to do to look after each other to take any notice of us, "observed the midshipman. 

"What do you mean?" asked David. 

"That one is English and the other French, and if so, it is not likelythat, having come in sight of each other, they will part withoutexchanging shots, " remarked Harry. 

"Unless the Frenchman runs away, " said David. 

"No fear of that. The monsieurs are brave fellows, though we can lickthem, and it is not often they show the white feather, " remarked Harry. "I really think that I am right. They look to me like two frigates, andone I am sure is French. We'll rouse up the old man, and hear what hehas to say about the matter. He'll not thank us for letting him sleepon. "

"The old man is awake, " said Jefferies, sitting up and gazing in thedirection indicated by the boys, under his open hand. For some time hewas silent. "Yes, there's little doubt about the matter, " he said atlength. "They are frigates, and one is English; the other is aforeigner, but whether Spaniard, Dutchman, or French, is more than I cansay. If they are going to fight, as you think, we can't help it, neither can we make them sail near enough to see us, and pick us up; butI'll tell you what we can do, young gentlemen, we can lift up our voicesin prayer to God to thank Him for His favours, and to ask Him for Hisprotection. "

All three knelt down, and lifted up their voices to God in prayer, witha heartiness which might be sought for in vain within the lofty walls ofmany a proud building. Such is the spiritual worship in which God theSpirit alone has pleasure. The party on that wave-tossed raft rose fromtheir knees greatly refreshed in spirit, and sat down to enjoy theirmorning meal with hearts grateful that they had food sufficient tosustain life. Soon after, the sun rose, as it were with a spring out ofhis ocean bed, and shed his light across the expanse of waters on thesails of the approaching ships, which seemed to have drawn suddenlynear, so clear and defined did their forms become. Harry watched witheven greater eagerness than before one of the ships, which he declaredwas, he believed, that to which he belonged. David was rather inclinedto laugh at the notion, as he considered that it was impossible Harryshould be able to know his own ship at so great a distance off. Thereseemed to be no doubt that both were frigates--of that the old manexpressed himself sure; that they were not both English he thought verylikely. As to the other point, it was, if correct, a guess of Harry's. They continued to draw nearer and nearer to each other, and as theyapproached the raft at the same time, the breeze which filled theirsails reached her. 

"Shall we hoist our sails, and stand for the shore as before?" askedDavid. 

"We should miss the chance of being picked up if we did so, " answeredHarry. "Besides, I should not like to run away without knowing afterall whether the ships would fight, and who was the conqueror. "

"Not much chance of our getting out of sight before they begin, for theyare already not far off gun-shot of each other, " observed the old man, who again raised himself to look out, but sunk down once more to hisseat in the centre of the raft. 

The two boys, however, stood up, holding on by the mast, in spite of theincreasing rocking of the raft, watching eagerly the movements of thetwo frigates--for frigates there was no doubt they both were. 

"Up go the colours!" exclaimed Harry, with a shout. "Hurrah! There'sthe glorious old flag of England, and the other is French--there's nodoubt about it. Then there'll be a fight. Hurrah! I wish I was aboardthe old ship; I'm sure it's her. Couldn't we manage it even now? Pullthe raft up to her. I wish that she would see us and pick us up. Ohdear! how provoking! I'd give anything to be on board!" Such were theexclamations to which the young midshipman gave utterance, as he stoodwatching the ships. "The old ship has tacked, she is standing away fromus! The Frenchman is about also. They'll be away. We shall not seeany of the fighting after all. "

"We shall be less likely to suffer from their shots, and for that we maybe grateful, " observed the old man. 

The midshipman, so eager was he, scarcely listened to what was said. The frigates were manoeuvring, each endeavouring to gain theweather-gauge before commencing the action, which it was very evidentwould take place. There appeared to be no lack of a disposition tofight on either side, for they both took in their lighter sails, andfinally hauled up their courses. Now the English frigate wore round, her example being followed by the Frenchman, both running back towardsthe raft, which it seemed that the former would pass by, or even runover, when suddenly she tacked, and standing close to a wind towards theFrench frigate, fired a broadside into her quarter, while the latter wasin stays. The effect of the broadside must have been severe, for it wassome time before she actually got about, leaving to the English frigatethe advantage of the weather-gauge, which had been the object of all theprevious manoeuvres. For some time the two ships ran on alongside ofeach other, rapidly exchanging shots, without any great apparent damageto the masts or rigging. They were so placed that many of the shotswhich missed came flying towards the raft, but providentially she wastoo far off for them to reach her. Once more the after-yards of theFrench ship being shot away, she kept off the wind, and, followed by herantagonist, stood towards the raft, still keeping up a hot fire at her. In a short time the damage was repaired, and once more the French shiphauling her wind, the two stood on together close-hauled. It wasevident, from the rapid way in which the French frigate's damages hadbeen repaired, that she was well manned, and that the result was by nomeans so certain as Harry had at first anticipated. The firing had hadthe effect, it appeared, of lessening the little wind there hadpreviously been. The two frigates, therefore, moved but slowly, andconsequently kept within sight of those on the raft. Harry was almosttoo eager to speak. David now and then made a few remarks. More thanan hour had passed away since the commencement of the action, and as yetthere was no visible advantage gained by either party. Suddenly Harrygave a cry of anger and annoyance, in which David joined him. The oldman looked up. There was cause for it. The flag of England was seen todrop from the masthead of the frigate. Could it be that she had struck?The firing continued as furious as ever. No, it was impossible!

"See! see! there's another flying out!" exclaimed the midshipman, exultingly. "All right, some fine fellow has climbed up and nailed itthere. Only the halliards were shot away. My captain would go downsooner than strike; I know that. "

The loud reports of the guns came succeeding each other rapidly over thecalm ocean. Now a loud crash, then a broadside was fired by bothparties at once, the sound of the different guns blending into one; nowa perfect silence, and then again single shots, and after a cessationanother broadside. At length the combatants scarcely moved, and becameenshrouded in a dense cloud of smoke, which nearly concealed them fromview. The firing was more furious than ever. They were yard-arm toyard-arm, discharging their broadsides into each other. A light breezeplayed over the water--the ships emerged from the cloud of smoke. TheEnglish frigate had lost her mizen-mast, and its wreck lay over herquarter. 

Harry groaned, but directly afterwards he shouted, "They'll not give in, though--they'll not give in, I am sure they won't. "

CHAPTER SEVEN. 

THE UNION JACK BEATS--THE RAFT STILL UNSEEN--THE PRIVATEER--DEATH OF OLDJEFFERIES--THE FRENCH CAPTAIN. 

The loss of her mizen-mast did not appear to damp the ardour of theBritish frigate's crew. The firing was continued with unabated fury onboth sides, neither ship apparently moving through the water; now theywere shrouded in smoke--now the smoke was blown away, and the firingceased. "The Frenchman's foremast is tottering!" shouted Harry. "See!see! David. Down it comes--hurrah! hurrah!" Still the flags of theirrespective countries waved at the mastheads of the frigates. The mastdid not come down either when Harry thought it would, neither did thefiring cease altogether. Faint sounds of musketry or pistol-shots cameacross the water--then three or four great guns were fired--the sides ofthe ships were close together, or rather, the bow of the English frigatewas fast to the Frenchman's side. 

"They are boarding, " cried Harry; "I know it must be that--then ourfellows will win the day. --The Frenchman's flag will be down directly. Watch! watch! I know it will. "

They waited eagerly, looking out for some time. Suddenly a cloud ofsmoke ascended from one of the ships. It was difficult to say fromwhich; again and again the guns were fired. "I am afraid that after allour friends are getting the worst of it, " remarked David, with a sigh. 

"Oh, no, no! impossible!" exclaimed Harry. "See, see! down comes theFrenchman's flag--hurrah! hurrah! I knew it would be so. Englishmenare never licked. We would go down first with our colours flying. Hurrah! hurrah! we've gained the day. " Harry waved his cap above hishead, and shouted long and loudly, communicating his enthusiasm, notonly to David, but to the old man himself; but so vehement in hisdemonstrations of joy did he become at last, that he nearly upset theraft, and then well-nigh fell overboard himself. David was rather morequiet in his demonstrations, still he did not feel less satisfactionprobably than his friend. 

"We must get on board to congratulate them, " exclaimed Harry; "Iwouldn't miss that on any account; if we pull hard we shall be able toget up to them--eh, Mr Jefferies? They will be some time repairingdamages and shifting the prisoners, and they are not likely to make sailtill then. "

"We mustn't count too much upon that, young gentleman; we are furtheroff than you think, and darkness will be down over the ocean long beforewe can get up to them. Besides, do you know, I don't think the sightsaboard those ships, either the conqueror or the conquered, would be sopleasant as you suppose. I know what a man-of-war is after ahard-fought battle. The decks strewn with the dead, and slippery withblood and gore, the cockpit full of wounded men, lately strong andhardy, now cripples for life, many dying, entering into eternity, without a hope beyond their ocean grave, Christless, heathens in realityif not in name, stifled groans and sighs, and oftentimes shrieks ofdespair on every side. Such sights I have seen in my youth, and I speakthe language of some of the great preachers who have come down to theseparts, and boldly put forth the gospel of salvation to perishing sinnersunder the blue vault of heaven. You only look at one side of thepicture, and that quickly vanishes away; mine, unhappily, is too real tobe wiped out quickly. " The old man spoke in a tone he had not hithertoused, which showed that his education had been superior to that whichmen of his vocation generally possess. 

This remark, it must be confessed, considerably damped the ardour of theyoung midshipman. The latter, however, still continued to urge him andDavid to try and get on board one of the ships. They were in reality asanxious as he was to do so, for they could not but feel that they wereexposed to many dangers while they remained on the raft. The wind haddropped, and in one respect this was in their favour, as the frigatescould not sail away; but what little wind there was was against them, and this made rowing their heavy craft more tedious. They progressedvery slowly, and after two hours' hard rowing they seemed no nearer thanbefore. The day was drawing on; still they persevered. Hope continuedto cheer the two boys, whatever the old man might have thought about thematter. At last Harry stopped. "They are making sail, and the breezeis getting up. Oh dear! oh dear! They'll be off before we can reachthem. Still we'll try--pull away, David, pull away, there's a goodfellow. "

All the efforts of the lads brought them no nearer the two frigates. They could see the British ensign run up above that of the French. Still it was evident that they themselves were not observed: no wonder, under the circumstances, as everybody on board must have been busilyengaged. Still thus, as it were, to be deserted, was very trying to theyoung lads. They bore up, however, manfully under the disappointment. 

"Perhaps the wind may fall or shift again, and they may have after allto take a tack this way, " exclaimed Harry, whose hopeful enthusiasm itwas impossible to damp. At last the night returned, and the darknessshut out the frigates from their sight. The lads had to while away thetime by conversation, and expressed their intentions of not going tosleep during the night; they, however, stowed themselves away in theiraccustomed places, where, should they by any chance begin to slumber, they might not run the risk of falling into the sea. For some time theykept to this resolution, Harry still buoyed up with the hope that theymight get on board the frigate in the morning. At last David's voicebegan to get very drowsy, so even did Harry's, and in spite of theirstrange position and their anxiety, first one and then the other droppedoff to sleep. The old man leaned forward to ascertain that they wereboth secure. 

"Sleep on, lads! sleep on!" he muttered. "He who reigns above can alonetell whether or not this is the last night you will spend on earth. Iliked not the look of the sky when the sun went down, and before manyhours have passed this frail raft may be tossing on an ocean of foamingseas. " The old man was silent, but he did not sleep. Often he prayed. He thought over many things of his past life, as men under suchcircumstances are apt to do. Happy are those who have not to reflect oncrimes committed, injuries done to others too late to remedy! and stillmore fearful must be the thoughts of those who are not trusting to theperfect and complete sacrifice offered on Calvary--whose sins have notbeen washed away in the blood of the Lamb. The old man knew in whom hetrusted, and no bitterness entered his thoughts. The hours passed on;stars became obscured; clouds were seen chasing each other across thedark sky, slowly at first, then more and more rapidly; the raft began torock, scarcely perceptibly, then gently, then with more and moremovement, but the boys slept on; accustomed to spend their time on theheaving wave, they did not feel the motion. At length a grey cold lightbegan gradually to steal over the foam-covered ocean. The boys stillslept on. The old man alone was awake on the raft. He lifted himselfup, and bent forward as if in prayer. Thus he remained for some time. At length David, less accustomed to the sea than Harry, awoke from themotion of the raft. The exclamation to which he gave utterance arousedhis companion; David quickly started to his feet, and gazed anxiouslyaround the horizon. The two frigates had disappeared. No sail was insight; nothing was to be seen but the heavy leaden-coloured waves, whilethe clouds seemed to come closely down on all sides. The raft drovequickly on before the storm. 

"In what direction are we going?" asked David. 

"To the south-west, I have an idea, " answered Harry; "but I should notmind that, if I thought we were likely to fall in with the twofrigates. "

"Trust in God, my lads, " said old Jefferies. 

He spoke truly; for already the raft gave signs of breaking up, from theviolence to which it had been exposed. The old man and the two boys didall they could to secure it more strongly by such ropes as they stillhad to spare, but it was difficult and dangerous to move from theirpositions. The seas followed rapidly, and more than once had almostbroken over them. Still, while their mast stood, and they could keeptheir sail set, they hoped to continue running before the sea. Theyspoke but little to each other, and continued looking out on eitherside, in the hope of seeing some vessels which might afford them arefuge. Still none appeared. The old man continued steering the raftwith great judgment and dexterity, but it was clear that the gale wasincreasing, and that in a very short time the frail structure on whichthey floated could not hold together amidst the fierce waves to which itwould be exposed. Still, serious as was their position, the boys didnot forget that they had had nothing to eat since the previous night. Harry dived down into their provision-box, and produced some biscuitsand a piece of tongue. Their first care was to offer some to the oldman. 

"No, thank you, good lads, I've no hunger, " he answered. 

In spite of their pressing, he refused to take any of the food. 

"I can't say that I'm not hungry, " cried Harry, "though I'm afraid wemust go without our tea. "

David, who felt something like old Jefferies, when pressed, however, byHarry, gladly joined him in discussing such provisions as they couldeasily get at. Both of them were much refreshed by the nourishment, andin spite of the foreboding looks of the old man could not help holdingsanguine hopes of escaping from their perilous position. Still theywere hoping against hope, for in spite of the additional lashings theyhad cast round their raft, first one piece of plank and then another wastorn off. 

"Hold on tight!" cried Harry, as he gazed astern, "here comes atremendous sea, and I don't know how we shall keep before it. "

As he spoke a high foaming wave came roaring up. Already the raft wasmounting a wave in front, or the consequences would have been moredisastrous. The upper part of the sea broke completely over the raft, but it still floated on. Those on it looked anxiously round to see ifany of their number were missing. The old man was still at his post atthe helm, and the two boys at their places. It was evident, however, that a few more such seas would utterly destroy the raft. As Harryagain gazed astern, he saw to his dismay many similar seas preparing tofollow; still he would not say this, even to David, and tried in his ownhearty way to keep up his companions' spirits. An hour or so thuspassed away, when the raft gave stronger signs than ever of not havingpower to hold together. 

"How fearful it would be if we were separated!" said David, who clearlycomprehended what was likely to happen. Just then another tremendoussea came rolling up, and washed over the raft. The boys clung on fortheir lives, but when the raft once more rose to the surface, the mastwas gone. 

"No hope, I fear, " said David. 

"Yes, there is!" cried Harry; "I see a vessel bearing down directly forus. "

The boys eagerly turned their eyes towards the stranger. It seemeddoubtful, however, whether the raft would hold together till herarrival, or whether they could avoid being washed off the raft by thesea, which kept continually rolling over them. On she rapidly came. 

"I don't much like her appearance, " said the old man; "she doesn't lookmuch better than the craft which we before refused to go on board. "

"We have no choice at all, " said Harry. "She looks like a Frenchman;but even the Monsieurs, considering our circumstances, would not treatus otherwise than with kindness, " said David. 

The boys waved and shouted with all their might. It seemed doubtfulwhether or not they were observed; still the stranger, a large topsailschooner, was standing directly for them. Presently they saw hershorten sail. 

"All right!" cried Harry; "we're seen. "

She rounded-to close to them, so close, indeed, that the two boys wereable to grasp the ropes which were thrown to them, and were immediatelyhauled up on deck. 

"But old Jefferies, we mustn't desert him!" cried Harry, as he saw theold man still on the raft. "Here! fasten this rope round my waist, andI'll go and haul him in. "

The crew of the stranger seemed to understand him, but at that moment asea rolling up drove the raft completely under the schooner's bottom. Afew fragments again appeared, but the old man was not to be seen. 

"Oh, where is he? where is he?" cried David and Harry; "we must save thegood old man. "

The people on board looked round on every side. So deep was the griefof the boys for his loss, that they scarcely for the moment seemed tothink of their own preservation, nor of the character of the vessel onboard which they had got. It was very clear that the old man had sunkfor ever, as no signs of him appeared. Once more the vessel was putbefore the wind, and flew onward on her course. 

Harry and David, on looking round, observed she was an armed vessel, carrying sixteen long guns, with swivels and other pieces. From thelanguage they heard spoken by the crew, they knew she was French; while, from the varied dresses of the men and officers, they suspected she wasa privateer, and not a man-of-war. 

"I'm afraid we shall not much like our quarters here, " said Harry. "Thebest thing we can do is to put a good face on the matter, and go aft andthank the captain for saving our lives; he will see by my uniform that Iam an officer, and treat us as gentlemen. "

Poor Harry's patch of white cloth, however, was not likely to be treatedwith much respect by a French privateer captain of those days. 

"I wonder which of these fellows is captain, " said Harry, as theyapproached three or four rough-looking fellows, as they were walking thedeck with the air of officers. "Oh, I wonder whether they willunderstand English, for not a word of French can I speak. "

"Nor can I indeed, " said David; "I didn't think of that. "

"We must make our intentions known, however, " said Harry, "and I mustmuster up what I can say. I know they always begin by saying `Monsieur'if they want to be polite, so I'll say `Monsieur Captain, MonsieurCaptain, '" looking round as he spoke, "we have to thank you for takingus aboard your vessel, and should be still further obliged if you couldgive us a change of clothes while ours are drying. "

The Frenchmen looked at the boys with an air of indifference. 

"Monsieur Captain, " again began Harry, "I say we want to thank you forpulling us out of the water. "

"Perhaps the captain is not among these men, " suggested David. 

"I want to see the captain, " said Harry, bowing as before. 

At length a small wizen-faced man appeared from below. His countenancewore anything but a pleasant aspect. By his dress, and the respect withwhich the others seemed to treat him, the boys had little doubt that hewas the person of whom they were in search. They accordingly approachedhim. 

"Are you the captain?" said Harry, bowing as before, for he did notforget his politeness, in spite of his wet clothes. 

"Yes, I am, " said the wizen-faced man. 

"Oh, you speak English; how glad we are!" answered Harry, "because wecan thus thank you for saving our lives. "

"No great reason to thank me, " said the man, in an unpleasant tone. 

"You speak English very well, sir, " said Harry, wishing to soothe him. 

"I have had plenty of time to learn it, " said the captain. 

"Where was that, sir?" asked Harry. 

"In an English prison, " answered the Frenchman, with a grin, turning onhis heel; "and I've no great cause to love those who kept me there, ortheir countrymen. "

"I'm afraid we've gained very little by the expression of ourgratitude, " said David; "what are we to do?"

CHAPTER EIGHT. 

THE GOOD-NATURED SEAMEN--PIERRE LAMONT--DAVID'S EMPLOYMENT--THEREPUBLICAN OFFICER. 

No one seemed disposed to pay the slightest attention to the two boys. The officers glanced at them superciliously. The captain, after takinga few turns on deck, scowled on them as he passed on his way below. They were left standing on the deck of the schooner, which went flyingon before the still increasing gale. They were wet and cold, andgrieving for the loss of their old friend, as well as very anxious aboutthe sorrow their absence would cause their relatives at home. 

"I suppose the Frenchmen won't let us starve altogether, " said David. "The officers indeed don't seem inclined to treat us well, but perhapsthe men may be differently disposed. I propose that, having done whatwe considered our duty, we go forward and throw ourselves upon theirkindness. Still, as I'm a quarter-deck officer, we ought to be treatedwith respect by the officers. I'm sure, if we had picked up two Frenchmidshipmen on board our frigate, we should have made regular pets ofthem, and given them no cause to complain. "

"But remember this is not a frigate, " observed David; "I think it willbe wiser to put our dignity in our pockets, and make the best of thingsas they are. "

Still Harry held out for some little time; but at length the surly looksof the officers, not to mention his hunger, made him yield to David'ssuggestions, and they quietly worked their way forward. As soon as thebacks of the officers were turned the men came round them, and by theexpression of their countenances showed that they at least bore them noill-will. One or two, by signs, invited them below, and they were veryglad to escape from the cold autumn gale which was blowing through theirwet clothes. Although unable to communicate by words, the lads had nodifficulty in making their wishes known to the Frenchmen by signs. Somedry clothes were quickly produced from the bag of a young seaman. Assoon as Harry and David had dressed themselves in these, some provisionsand a bottle of wine were brought to them, the Frenchmen standing roundlooking on with great satisfaction while they discussed them. 

"_Buvez, me amis_, " said a stout good-natured looking seaman, pouringout a glass of claret. The boys guessed by his signs clearly enoughwhat he said, and thanked him by nodding in return. They both feltconsiderably better for their repast. 

"If it wasn't for the loss of poor old Jefferies, I should not haveminded it at all, " said David; "but for him to lose his life, and for usto find ourselves little better than prisoners on board a Frenchman, isvery trying. "

"As you remember, nearly his last words were, `Trust in God, '" remarkedHarry; "so let us go on trusting; he was a good old man, and is gone toheaven I'm sure, so we ought not to mourn for him much. It would havebroken his heart to find himself on board this vessel. "

"I wonder in what direction we are going?" said David. 

"I will try and get a look at the compass when we go on deck again, butwe mustn't let the Frenchmen think we care anything about the matter, "said Harry. 

"What a pity it is we can't talk French a little! I wish we could thankthese kind, good-natured fellows, because really I am very grateful fortheir kindness to us. "

"At all events, we can do it by signs, " said Harry, jumping up andshaking the Frenchman by the hand who had given them the wine. 

"Much obliged, monsieur; much obliged for your good dinner; the sausageswere excellent. We don't often taste such claret at sea as you gaveus. "

Of course, though the Frenchman did not understand a word Harry hadsaid, yet he was evidently in the way of becoming a favourite amongthem. When invited to return on deck they did not hesitate to do so, for by keeping forward they were not recognised among the French crew. In the evening they were again invited to join the mess of the menbelow, which, if not quite in accordance with English notions, was notquite the wretched fare on which Frenchmen are supposed to exist. Indeed, it must be owned that the provisions were far better cooked andmade into more palatable messes than they would have been on board anEnglish vessel of the same character. At night they had a berthallotted to them in a standing bed-place forward, into which they weretoo glad to creep. Having thanked the God of mercy who had thuspreserved them, in a prayer which came from the very bottom of theirhearts, and asked for a blessing on all those they had left at home, they lay down in their narrow berth, and stowed themselves away as wellas space would allow. They had reason to be thankful that they hadescaped the perils to which they had been exposed for so many nights onthe raft; and though their sleeping-place was very close and dark, ithad the advantage of being dry. They were very quickly fast asleep, inspite of all the rolling and pitching of the vessel, as she dashedforward across the stormy ocean. There was no danger of their beingpitched out. In spite of the groaning of the bulkheads, the whistlingof the wind through the rigging, the loud dash of the seas against thevessel, and the numerous other loud wild sounds which are heard during agale at sea, the boys slept on till a gleam of daylight found its waydown to their narrow berth. 

"_Mangez, mangez, mes amis_!" said a voice, which was recognised as thatof their kind friend of the previous evening. He had come, it appeared, to summon them to breakfast, for the crew were employed below indiscussing that meal. Once on their feet, the boys found themselvesperfectly ready to join their French friends, and to do ample justice tothe food placed before them. 

"If it were not for the dignity of the thing we should not be so badlyoff, after all, " said Harry; "but really I cannot quite get over theskipper not treating us as officers, as he should have done. "

The Frenchmen greeted them with kind smiles, and soon again reconciledthem to their wretched fate. 

The gale now increased to a regular hurricane. The schooner ran beforeit under a close-reefed fore-topsail, but even then the seas followed sorapidly that there appeared great probability of their breaking onboard. Both officers and men either remained below, or, when necessitycompelled them to be on deck, kept close to the bulwarks, that theymight have something to catch hold of should an accident occur. Underthese circumstances no work was expected to be done; the boys weretherefore allowed to do just as they pleased. They wisely kept forwardamong their friends the seamen. They had observed a boy about their ownage eyeing them occasionally as he passed sometimes with a dish from thecook's caboose, or with various messages with which he seemed to begenerally employed; yet he had not hitherto spoken to them. 

"I like his looks, " said David; "I can't help fancying that he wants tobe friendly. Next time he passes us I will say something to him; orsee, I've got a knife in my pocket; I'll present it to him, it will showour good-will. "

"That will be very much like purchasing kindness, " answered Harry. 

In a few minutes after this the boy again came near. 

"Here, garcon, " said David, pulling out his knife as he spoke, "takethis, you may find it very useful. "

"Merci, " said the boy, "thank you--much obliged. "

"What! do you speak English?" asked David. 

"Very little, but I know what you say. "

"Oh, we're so glad of that, " exclaimed the two boys in the same breath. 

"What is your name?" asked David. 

"Pierre Lamont, " answered the French boy. 

"We shall be friends, " said David. "You don't hate the English, I hope, like the captain?"

"Oh no, no, " answered Pierre, "I love the English; my poor mother wasEnglish, but she is dead, and so is my father, but he was French. "

"Then have you no one to look after you?" exclaimed David, in a tone ofcommiseration. 

"No, I am all alone in the world, no one to care for me, " said Pierre. 

"Are you happy here on board this ship?" asked Harry. 

"Oh no, no. Sometimes I am pretty well off; but often our cruel menorder me about, and beat me with the rope's-end if I do not do quicklywhat they command. "

"You see, Harry, " said David, "there's one on board this ship worse offthan we are. We have some dear friends on shore, and though they don'tknow what has become of us, we hope that they are are safe, and that weshall get back to them some day. "

"Do you know where we're going, Pierre?" asked Harry. "I wanted to lookat the compass; but I'm afraid of going aft, lest I should meet thecaptain. "

"You are right to keep away from him, " answered Pierre. "If he kneweven that I spoke English he would treat me worse than he does. But youask where are we going. I believe that we're bound out to the WestIndies to take as many English merchant-vessels as we can find. "

"I thought we were going in that direction, " answered David. 

"But, Pierre, do you think if any of the English vessels are defended, that the captain will make us fight against our own countrymen?"

"Oh, you may depend on that, " said Pierre. "That is, you will beemployed in bringing up powder from below. "

"What! shall we be turned into powder-monkeys?" exclaimed Harry, in atone of indignation. "That will be too bad. "

"Is that what you call the boys who bring up the powder?"

"Yes, but only the smallest among the ship's crew are employed in thatwork, and they should not treat officers in that way, even though we aretheir enemies, " exclaimed Harry, indignantly. 

"That is the very reason the captain will take delight in giving yousuch employment, " said Pierre. "No one likes him on board. Even theofficers fear him; but he is said to be a very good seaman and a daringcharacter, so brave that he cares for nothing. "

From this account of the captain the boys saw that they were not farwrong in the opinion they had formed of him from his countenance and hismanner towards them. They resolved, therefore, to keep out of his way, and to avoid irritating him if they could. While the gale continued hehad quite enough to do to look after the vessel without troublinghimself about them. Indeed, as far as they could judge, he hadforgotten that they were on board. Although the place below where theysat with the men was close and dark in consequence of being batteneddown, they spent much of their time there. Many of the men wereemployed in various works. Several were making models of vessels in away few English seamen could have done. David proposed doing somethingof the sort, to show the Frenchmen that he did not wish to be idle, andthat he felt himself at home among them. He asked Pierre to get himsome corks, and to set to work to make a model of a village church. This, with the aid of some pins, he rapidly accomplished with a filewhich he borrowed from one of the men, and he drew down the warmcommendations of his companions, who were especially well disposed toappreciate such efforts. He accordingly presented it to his stoutfriend, Jacques Rossillion, the good-natured seaman who had from thefirst taken an interest in him. 

Thus several days passed away till the gale abated, the sea went down, and sail was once more made on the schooner. Harry had been perhapsunwisely anxious to put on his own uniform again, which was nowthoroughly dry and fit to wear. Pierre advised him not to appear beforethe captain in it. "Still it's my proper dress, " answered Harry, who, like many midshipmen, was very tenacious on that subject. The gale, which had been in their favour, had carried them a long way towardstheir destination, as they judged by the warmth of the atmosphere andthe tropical appearance of the sea. The officers as usual paced thequarter-deck, and the men congregated together forward. A monkey, whichhad hitherto stowed himself away somewhere out of sight, was among theoccupants of the deck. To an English crew a monkey is a greatacquisition, but a French ship's company can scarcely get on withoutone. When they are inclined to play pranks he is always at theirservice, and woe betide the unhappy small boy of a ship's company onwhose muster-roll a monkey is not to be found! as he has to endure whatthe four-handed animal would otherwise have to go through. 

On looking over the side Harry observed a black fin gliding along at thesame rate as the schooner. "Look there, David; did you ever see aregular shark before?" he said. "If anybody was to fall overboard thatfellow would snap him in two in half a second. The best swimmer wouldhave but a poor chance unless he was well prepared. I have heard of asailor attacking a shark with a knife in his hand, and cutting him up;but a man only with iron nerves and great presence of mind and a goodswimmer could ever make the attempt. " While they were speaking thecaptain appeared on deck. "Here, you boys, come aft, " he shouted. "What, do you think you are to pass away your time in idleness, and getfed and grow fat? You are very much mistaken if you think any suchthing. Take each of you a tar-bucket, and go and black down the riggingfrom the fore-topmast head. " Poor Harry looked at his uniform; it hadendured the wetting, but it would be spoiled in a few minutes by theoperation which he was ordered to perform. He saw that it would not doto disobey the captain's orders. If they had time to find Pierre theymight borrow some frocks and canvas trousers. 

"I say what I mean, " shouted the captain; "and off with you at once--onetaking the starboard, and one the larboard rigging. What, you don'tlike to spoil your clothes, I see. I was not allowed any clothes tospoil when I was in an English prison. "

"Surely you will let us borrow some frocks, sir, " answered David. "Though we are gentlemen, and unaccustomed to such work, we are willingto obey you, only we don't want to spoil our clothes. "

"Aloft, I say, or overboard you go. There's a fellow alongside ready tobreakfast off you, if you are anxious to feed him. " The littleFrenchman looked so fierce that the boys really believed he was inearnest. 

"It can't be helped, " said David. "You must tell me what to do, for Inever blacked down rigging even on board the yacht. "

"Just secure the bucket as you descend, and take care not to let the tardrop from the brush on deck. It's not the difficulty of the thing, butit is very derogatory. "

Seeing that there was no use in further expostulation, the boys tookeach of them a bucket as they were ordered, and ascended, one on oneside, and one on the other, of the fore-rigging, and having reached themasthead Harry secured his bucket, and showed David how to secure his. The operation, besides being a very dirty one, was tedious, as each ropehad to be gone carefully round with the tar. Often they made melancholyfaces at each other as they gradually descended, but neither the captainnor officers showed the slightest commiseration, only watchingapparently to see that the work was effectually performed. While thecaptain remained on deck the crew took no notice of them. This was, however, evidently done in kindness. At length the work was over, and, seeing the captain on deck, they thought the best way was to go aft andreport what they had done. "Very well, " said the captain; "tomorrow youwill black down the main-rigging; in the meantime I want to see a polishput upon those brass stanchions, and the swivel guns are not so brightas they should be. I shall have work for you in my cabin, too, by andby. You are young English gentlemen, I understand. You may consider ita privilege to have to serve a poor republican seaman, who has workedhis way up from before the mast. "

"We will do our best to obey you, sir, " answered David, who wiselywished to conciliate the man, in spite of his surly manners. Heremembered that "a soft answer turneth away wrath. "

CHAPTER NINE. 

THE PRISONERS HAVE TO WORK--THE CHASE--THE MERCHANT SHIP IS TAKEN--THEBOYS FIND THEIR FRIEND CAPTAIN RYMER AND MARY--THE HURRICANE. 

Next morning, as soon as the boys appeared on deck, the captain againcalled them aft. 

"Aloft with you, lads, and black down the main-rigging, " he exclaimed asthey approached him, looking more humble even than they felt. Knowing, however, that there was no use in refusing to do what they were ordered, Harry and David took up the buckets to which the captain pointed, andascended as before. 

"We must look out not to drop any tar on deck, " said Harry, "he willmake it an excuse to give us a rope's-ending if we do; I'm sure he meansmischief. "

The boys soon gained the masthead, and began their very disagreeabletask. The sun was extremely hot; the ship rolled slowly from side toside as she glided on before the wind. Poor David felt very sick andwretched; more than once he thought he must give in, but Harry cheeredhim by exclaiming--

"Let us show that we are Englishmen, and at all events that we are notto be daunted by any work these Frenchmen can give us. "

Thus encouraged, David, who really had as much spirit as Harry, determined to persevere. The work, however, progressed more slowly thanon the previous day. Several times the captain came on deck and watchedthem; they continued their work as it they did not observe him. By thetime it was completed, as may be supposed, their clothing was entirelyspoiled. As they stepped on deck he grinned at them maliciously. 

"Ah! now you look what you must in future expect to be, " he remarked;"go forward and stow away those buckets, and then come aft to me. "

"I wonder what he is going to make us do next?" said Harry, as theyhanded the buckets over to the boatswain. Poor David, overcome with theheat, scarcely answered. A cup of water which he had obtained from acask on deck somewhat revived him. 

"Well, we must go aft, and face it out as best we can, " he answered;"come along, I'm ready. "

The captain ordered them into his cabin. 

"Now, lads, I want that furniture cleaned; the brass has not beenburnished for some time. " He put some leather into their hands. Thedifficulty of the work was not so great, but it was evidently given toinsult them on account of its menial character. Harry especially feltthis. Still they had no resource but to obey, and scrubbed away withmight and main. At last the captain came below. 

"Now, you young English midshipman, I've some special work for you todo. See that locker; there are several pairs of boots and shoes--you'llfind a blacking-bottle and brushes. I want them cleaned. " Harry'sproud spirit rose within him. Should he defy the tyrannical captain, and declare that he would die sooner than so employ himself? Thecaptain seemed to divine his thoughts. 

"As you please, youngster, " he observed; "no one disobeys me on boardthis vessel. "

Harry remembered the shark, and the captain's threat on the previousday. 

"Oh! I will help you, " said David, looking at him. 

"No, it is his work, " said the captain. 

Poor Harry saw there was no use in offering any resistance, and takingout the brushes began to clean the shoes. It was a work which amidshipman in those days often had to perform for himself; but then itwas very different doing it for another, and that other a Frenchman. Atlength, however, the boys were dismissed, having performed all the tasksgiven to them. They hurried forward and dived below. The first personthey met was Pierre, who looked with commiseration on their tarreddresses. 

"I came on board with a nice clean suit, and had to spoil it just as youhave had to spoil yours, " he observed; "and now he abuses me when I gointo his cabin, for not looking clean. "

After this the boys were regularly sent aft to help wash down decks, andto keep the stanchions and other parts about the ship bright. This gavethem abundant occupation. However, when they could manage to get below, they were treated even more kindly than before by the crew. 

They had been for some weeks cruising up and down without even sightinga sail, when one morning, on Harry and David coming on deck, they foundthe captain and officers in a considerable state of excitement. Thecaptain himself went aloft with his glass, and on his return ordered theship's course to be altered, and all sail to be set. 

"We are in chase of some vessel or other, " observed Harry; "depend uponit the Frenchmen expect to make a prize of her. "

All hands were called on deck. Now one sail and now another wasadded, --some rigged out so as just to skim the surface of the water, while with buckets and scoops the sails were wetted as high as theycould be reached. Harry and David could see in the far distance a largeship, which from her narrow yards and the cut of her sails Harry said hethought was really a merchantman, which of course the Frenchman took herto be. 

"But suppose she is not, " said David. 

"Then they will find out that they have caught a Tartar, and we shallget out of the power of this Monsieur Sourcrout, " answered Harry;"however, we mustn't raise our hopes too high. "

"The ship ahead has shown English colours, " the boys heard from some ofthe crew, for they could not get a glass to look through. She, itseemed, did not like the appearance of the stranger, for she now set allsail and went off also directly before the wind. A stern chase is along chase, but if the chaser is a faster vessel than the chased, shewill come up with her at last. As the day drew on it was very evidentthat the schooner had gained very considerably on the chase. She wasseen to be an old-fashioned merchant vessel, a regular West Indiatrader, probably, which would afford a rich prize to the captors. 

The excitement of the captain and officers was extreme. Already theyanticipated the rich booty which would soon be theirs. 

"Oh! do you think those people on board that vessel will give in withoutfighting?" asked David. 

"I think very likely not, " said Harry; "we shall soon know; in less thanan hour we shall be alongside. "

"What had we better do?" asked David. 

"Stay on deck and see what takes place, " said Harry. 

"What, and run the chance of being shot?" said David; "I don't thinkthat would be wise. "

"Well, let us wait and see till the time comes, " said Harry, who wasevidently very unwilling to go below while any fighting was takingplace. 

In the meantime the Frenchmen were very active in preparing the ship foraction. Arm-chests were thrown open, and arms were handed to each ofthe crew. The cutlasses were secured to their waists, and the pistolsthey stuck in their belts. The guns were cast loose and loaded, and theFrench ensign run up at the peak. The magazine was opened, and Harryand David were called aft by the captain, and told to go below. 

"I knew that's what we should have to do, " said Harry. 

"Stand by, and hand up the powder as it is wanted, " said the captain, inan authoritative tone, which there was no disobeying. Pierre and theother boys were employed in the same way. 

"We shall have to carry the powder on deck in these tubs, and sit on ittill it is wanted, " said Harry. 

"And run as great a risk of being shot as any of the crew?" asked David. 

"There's no help for it, " said Harry. "If we refuse, the French skipperis just as likely to shoot us through the head as not. He's beenwaiting for this opportunity to have his revenge on us. "

As soon as the guns were loaded, a fresh supply of powder was calledfor, and Harry and the other boys were ordered to carry it up on deck. There they sat in a row on the tubs which contained the bags of powder, looking anything but contented with their lot. The schooner now rapidlycame up with the merchant vessel, --for such there seemed no doubt wasthe character of the chase. Whether or not she would fight seemed aquestion. As they drew nearer, a considerable number of men were seenon deck, and she gave no signs of yielding. As soon as the Frenchman'sbow-chaser could be brought to bear, a shot was fired, but no reply wasgiven. Another and another followed in rapid succession. Neither ofthe shots took effect. At length the schooner got near enough to fire awhole broadside. As she was about to do so, the ship hauled up hercourses, and, standing across the Frenchman's bows, gave her a rakingbroadside which struck down several of her crew, and caused some littledamage to her masts and spars. Harry and David looked anxiously towardseach other. Neither of them was hurt, nor was Pierre, in whom they tooka warm interest. This opposition, however, seemed to excite the captainto the utmost pitch of fury. He stamped and swore, and ordered abroadside to be immediately poured into the English ship. The twovessels now ran on alongside each other. It was clear if the Englishvessel was to be taken, she would not be captured without a severestruggle. The Frenchman's guns were heavier and more numerous thanhers, and the crew were better trained to their use. This soon began totell. Several of her spars were soon shot away, and from the faintnessof her fire it seemed too probable that many of her crew had been killedor wounded. As long as the Frenchman's spars remained standing, toescape was hopeless, and her guns were therefore directed rather toknock away the Frenchman's masts than to kill the crew. In this, however, she was not successful, and several of her own spars were shotaway instead. At length the French captain, delivering anotherbroadside, ranged up alongside with the intention of boarding. Anattempt was made to avoid this, and boarding nettings were seen tricedup above the bulwarks of the English ship. Again the Frenchman ranalongside. 

"They shall not foil us a second time, " exclaimed the French captain;"no quarter if they do not yield. "

Harry and David trembled for the fate of their unfortunate countrymen onboard the merchantman. Just then the English ensign was seen to descendfrom the peak. Those on board the English vessel thought that furtherresistance was hopeless. The Frenchmen swarmed up the sides, and werequickly in possession of the English ship. 

"We'll follow, and see what takes place, " said Harry; "we may perhapshelp some of the poor people. "

As there was no one to interfere with them, they were soon on themerchantman's deck. Some five or six of the crew lay dead, while threeor four others, badly wounded, were being conveyed below. The Frenchcaptain, by his gestures, seemed disappointed at not having his expectedrevenge, and he was abusing the English captain for having attempted tooppose him. A man stood by, receiving the swords of the captain andseveral other persons, who seemed to be gentlemen. Harry and Davidobserved one whose face had been turned away from them at first. 

"Harry, " exclaimed David, "I'm sure that's Captain Rymer. If Mary is onboard, how dreadful for her!"

"It's very like him, " said Harry; "I'm afraid it must be him. But howcould he have come on board the ship? We shall soon know, at allevents--I will try and speak to him. "

As may be supposed, even their dearest friends would not have known thetwo lads in their tarry clothes, and their faces begrimed with powder. As soon as the French captain and his followers went below to examinethe cargo of the ship, Harry and David stole up to the gentleman whomthey supposed to be Captain Rymer. He was indeed their friend. 

"What, lads!" he exclaimed, looking at them, "are you really alive? Iam thankful to find you so, even in this plight. "

Harry rapidly explained how they came to be on board the French vessel. 

"And is Mary with you?" asked Harry, eagerly. 

"Yes, and there are several other ladies in the cabin below. They haveshut themselves in, and I trust will receive no annoyance from theFrenchmen. "

"I don't think we should be seen talking with you, " said Harry, "becausewe may hope to be of some assistance, although we don't see clearly howthat is to be just yet. "

The Frenchmen seemed highly elated at finding they had captured anunusually rich prize, and were in a very good humour, in spite of theloss of a few of their number. The dead were soon thrown overboard, andthe wounded placed in the doctor's hands out of sight, the decks washeddown, and most of the traces of the combat done away with. A pickedcrew of the Frenchmen was sent on board the English merchantman, whichit seemed the intention of the captain to carry into the nearest port inthe West Indies belonging to France. Harry and David could not bear thethoughts of being separated from Captain Rymer, and resolved to stowthemselves away on board the English vessel, hoping they might not bemissed. Among the prize crew were, to their great satisfaction, theirgood-natured friends Jacques Rossillion and Pierre Lamont. The firstlieutenant came to take the command. The Frenchmen more than doubledthe remainder of the English crew, who, however, were expected to assistin working the ship. Scarcely had these arrangements been made when astrong breeze sprang up. The boats were hoisted in, and the two vesselsseparated. The wind increased very rapidly, and so heavy a sea got upthat it would have been dangerous for a boat to pass from one vessel tothe other. Before long, however, the schooner ranged up near the ship. 

"You have got those two English boys on board; give them therope's-end, " shouted the French captain, who, apparently, had only justthen discovered that Harry and David had escaped him. 

The French lieutenant replied that he would see to it, and again thevessels separated. He, however, had never looked at them in the samesurly way the other officers had done, and as they took good care tokeep out of his sight, he seemed to forget the orders he had received. The wind went on increasing till it seemed likely to become a regularhurricane. The management of the ship completely occupied the Frenchcrew, so that they had but little time to look after their prisoners. The English captain and his officers were ordered to remain as prisonersin one of the cabins with a sentinel placed over them, but the rest ofthe crew were allowed to go about at liberty. 

"Don't you think it would be possible to get back the ship?" said Harryto David. "Shall I propose to make the attempt to Captain Rymer?"

"If it was not for Mary and the other ladies, " said David, "he mightconsent; but the risk to them would be too fearful were we to fail. "

Hitherto they had not had the opportunity of seeing Mary. Finding, however, that the Frenchmen as well as the English crew were engaged inmaking the ship snug, they stole aft and found their way to the cabindoor. 

"May we come in?" said Harry. 

"Yes, yes, " answered a voice, which they thought was Mary's. 

When, however, they opened the door and presented themselves, for aminute Mary could scarcely recognise them, so changed were they sincethe day they had parted from her after the picnic--Harry in his brightnew uniform, and David in his trim yachtsman's attire. Now their hairwas long, their cheeks were sunken, at least so far as could be seenthrough the powder which begrimed them, and their dresses were coveredfrom head to foot with tar; still, the moment they spoke, she sprangforward and took them warmly by the hands. 

"Oh, I am so thankful that you have not been lost, as we thought youwere, " she exclaimed, and the tears came into her eyes; "this is a verysad way of meeting, but still I hope God will protect us all, and I amthankful to see you both. "

Most of the ladies, who were all passengers, were eager to hear of theboys' adventures. These they briefly gave. Some, however, were toofrightened by the sound of the hurricane, and the tossing and rolling ofthe ship, to listen to them. 

"Do you think there is any danger?" at last asked Mary of Harry. 

"I hope not, " said Harry, "but Captain Rymer knows more about it than Ido. "

Captain Rymer, who at this moment entered the cabin, looked somewhatanxious, though he endeavoured to speak in a cheerful voice, and beganto express his satisfaction at the escape of his young friends from thenumerous dangers to which they had been exposed. Night was now comingon, and it was evident that the ship was in the midst of a regular WestIndian hurricane. The French officer was evidently a good seaman, anddid all that could be done under the circumstances for the safety of theship. The topgallant-masts were struck, and every sail was furledexcept a closely reefed fore-topsail, with which the ship ran before thegale. Night had now come on; the wind, as is generally the case duringa hurricane, shifted so much that it was difficult to ascertain in whatdirection she was driving. Captain Rymer several times went on deck, but had a not very satisfactory report to give on his return. 

"As long as the ship does not spring a leak we have nothing to fear, however, " he observed. 

Still the ship rolled and pitched so much that it seemed scarcelypossible that a structure of wood and iron could hold together. Thepoor ladies had to sit on the deck of the cabin and hold on by the legsof the table, while the lamp swung backwards and forwards in a way thatthreatened every instant to cause its fracture. Harry and David, thoughthey had seen enough of storms, agreed to go up on deck and see what wastaking place. One glance satisfied them. The mountain seas, coveredwith white foam, were rolling up on either side of the ship, andthreatened every instant to come down upon her deck. They gladlydescended again. 

"I don't at all like the look of things, I confess, " said David. "Aslong, however, as Captain Rymer is satisfied that all is right, soshould we be. "

CHAPTER TEN. 

ON A REEF--FATE OF THE FRENCH CREW--THE ISLAND--THE SHIPWRECKED PEOPLE--THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT L'HIRONDELLE. 

It is scarcely necessary to relate that Captain Rymer was on his way, onboard the _Cerberus_, West Indian merchantman, to take the command towhich he had been appointed when he was captured by the privateer. Hehad been too much accustomed to the ups and downs of a sailor's life tobe disheartened at what had occurred, though it was a great trial itmust be owned. He had cause also to be grateful that he and hiscompanions had not received that ill-usage to which passengers were toooften subjected when their vessel was taken by a privateer. It mighthave been very different had the French captain himself remained onboard. He had now, however, great cause for apprehension, inconsequence of the increasing violence of the hurricane. The_Cerberus_, he knew, was a stout, strong-built ship, but many a stoutship had gone down in a West Indian hurricane; not long before, severalline-of-battle ships with all their gallant crews had been lost. Thingson deck looked as bad as they well could do. He was a Christian man, and put his trust in One who is all-able to save. Thus he could imparthope and confidence to his companions. Hitherto the ship had not sprunga leak, and, as far as he could judge, they were at some distance fromany land. The French had, however, become alarmed. Some, like truemen, stayed at their posts on deck, but the greater number had gonebelow and stowed themselves away in the berths. A few had endeavouredto break open the spirit-room, but the French officers, suspecting theirintentions, had been in time to prevent them, and threatened to shootthe first man, whether Frenchman or Englishman, who would again make theattempt. Order was thus kept on board. No human power was longer ofany avail in guiding the ship. The hatches were battened down in timeto prevent the seas, which now began to break on board, from washingbelow. On she drove before the hurricane. The caboose and spars werefirst washed away; then two of the quarter-boats shared the same fate. The seas were making a clean sweep over the decks; still on she drove. Now part of the bulwarks were knocked to pieces, and it seemed that in ashort time everything on deck would follow; still the masts stood andthe ship floated. There was hope, but it grew fainter and fainter; eventhe stoutest hearts had cause to fear. Several fearful hours followed. The hurricane howled more loudly and fiercely around the ship, and theraging seas seemed to have gained her as their prey. 

"Do you really think she will live through it?" asked David of Harry. 

"Yes, I do think so; we've gone through so many dangers, that I can'tfancy that we're to be lost at last, " was Harry's reply. 

Another and another hour passed away. "Surely the hurricane must cometo an end at last, " said David. "Did you ever know one last so long, Captain Rymer?" he inquired. 

"They seldom last more than twelve or fifteen hours, and this gives mehope that we shall escape, " answered their friend. "I see a gleam ofdaylight coming through a scuttle. Depend upon it, before long the windwill begin to fall. "

While they were speaking loud cries arose from those on deck. "Breakersahead!" shouted the English crew. Directly afterwards there was afearful crash. 

"We're cast upon a reef!" exclaimed Harry; "perhaps, after all, our lastday is come. "

Captain Rymer set an example of coolness to his companions. "Remaintogether, " he said to Mary and the other ladies, "I will go on deck andascertain the state of affairs, and return for you, if there is aprospect of your reaching the shore. We are in God's hands, and thoughwe may be unable to help ourselves, let us feel that He will care forus. "

While he was thus speaking, the ship seemed to be lifted by the seas, and then down she came again with another crash. Just as Captain Rymerreached the deck, followed by David and Harry, the masts were seen to goby the board; the ship had struck upon a reef, over which the sea wasdriving her, and inside of it the waters seemed comparatively calm. 

"Why, men, " shouted Captain Rymer to the crew, "I believe if we remainby the ship we shall all be able to gain the shore in safety. " TheFrenchmen, however, did not understand him, and were engaged inlaunching the remaining boats. He felt sure that in the raging seaswhich surrounded the ship no boats would live. 

"Whatever happens, we will remain on board, " he said to Harry and David. "The ship I know is strong, and will hold together till the storm isabated. Those who attempt to embark now will, I fear, lose theirlives. "

In vain he urged the Frenchmen to remain. The English captain alone, with one of his officers, agreed that he was right. The boats werelowered and the infatuated men leaped into them. Pierre Lamont hadcourageously remained on deck during the hurricane, but he now seemedinclined to follow his countrymen into the boats. Harry and David sawhim, and shouted to him not to go. Hearing them he turned back, but oneof the Frenchmen seized him by the arms, and before he could disengagehimself, had dragged him into the boat. Scarcely, however, had theboats shoved off, crowded with human beings, than first one, then theother, was capsized, and all were thrown into the water. In vain theshrieking wretches attempted to regain the ship; some clung to theboats; a few who could swim struggled for some time amid the foamingwaves. Captain Rymer had before this gone below, but Captain Williamsand those who remained on deck, got ropes ready to throw to any whomight be washed near the ship. None were so fortunate, and one by onethey were carried far away, and disappeared amid the foaming breakers. 

"Is there not one who can be saved?" exclaimed David, who had stoodwatching the scene with horror. 

"Yes, yes, I see one clinging to the wreck of our masts, " answeredHarry; "I must go and try to rescue him. I do believe that it isPierre!"

"Oh, let me go then, " said David; "I can swim better than you, youknow. "

"This is a case for scrambling rather than for swimming, " answeredHarry; "I'll fasten a rope round my waist, and we'll have him quickly onboard. "

Harry, before David could offer another objection, did as he proposed. It was an undertaking, however, of the greatest danger, and the utmostactivity and vigilance could alone have saved him from being struck bythe broken spars which were dashed here and there by the seas. 

At length Harry reached the object of his search. Pierre looked up athim eagerly. "Oh, save me, save me! I cannot hold on longer, " heexclaimed. 

Harry sprang forward and grasped the French boy by the collar just ashis hands relaxed their hold. He dragged him up on the mast. To returnwith him was even more difficult than the first part of the undertaking. Undaunted, however, Harry persevered, and, though more than once almostlosing his footing, succeeded at length in bringing young Pierre onboard. "Brave garcon!" exclaimed Jacques, as he helped him up; "oh, Iwould die for you! I will be ever your friend. "

Except the lieutenant in command, and honest Jacques Rossillion, noFrenchman remained on board, and the ship was once more, therefore, inpossession of the English. Scarcely had this fearful catastropheoccurred than the weather gave evident signs of improving. CaptainWilliams, the English commander, accompanied by Captain Rymer, wentround the ship below and brought back a satisfactory report that sheappeared to have suffered very little damage by the blows she hadreceived. The shore was, however, not particularly inviting; a fewgroups of cocoa-nut trees and other tropical plants were alone to beseen. It was an island scarcely more than two miles in circumference, one of those spots known as keys in the West Indies; still, should theship break up, it would afford them shelter, and they could not helplonging to be able to reach the beach. As the boats and all had beenlost, this could not be done till a raft had been built. The gentlemenimmediately set about constructing one. As the spars had all beenwashed away, it was necessary first to get those which floated alongsidefrom the rigging. There were planks also below; these were got up, withall the empty casks which could be collected. By knocking away some ofthe bulwarks, and by bringing on deck a few of the seamen's chests, theysoon had materials for constructing a raft large enough for carrying thewhole party. All hands worked with a will. The French lieutenant wasvery active, and seemed in no way put out by having the tables socompletely turned upon him. He was probably grateful, as he ought tohave been, for having escaped with his life. By the time the raft wasfinished, the sea had so completely gone down that there was littledifficulty in launching it. The bulwarks having been already completelywashed away, all that was necessary was to let it slip quietlyoverboard. Its constructors gave a cheer as they saw it floating calmlyalongside; they had still, however, to rig the mast and sail, as well asto fit some oars to guide it towards the shore. 

When this was done, the captains invited all the passengers up on deck. It was agreed that it would be safer to convey only half at a time. Harry and David begged that they might accompany Captain Rymer and Mary. Captain Rymer agreed to let Captain Williams conduct the first party, saying that he should be content to remain on board till the return ofthe raft. Before the raft left the side, a supply of provisions werelowered down upon it; and, with the prayers of those who remained onboard for its safe voyage, the raft shoved off from the side of theship. Its progress was slow, for there was very little wind, and thereseemed to be a current sweeping round the island which took it out ofits direct course. At length, however, it reached the beach, and thoseon it leaped out and ran eagerly up on to the dry land. The men had, however, to return for the provisions, which were landed in safety. Then Captain Williams, and two seamen who accompanied him, had to returnto the ship; they were a considerable time, and it seemed doubtfulindeed, in consequence of the current which had to be encountered, whether they would regain her. They succeeded, however, at last. 

Captain Rymer, with those who had remained on board, had employed theirtime in getting up provisions, and their first care was to load her withas large a supply as she could safely carry; this done, the remainder ofthose on board now made for the shore, which by some exertion theysafely reached. The first care of the shipwrecked party on reaching theshore was to send out some of their number in search for water. CaptainRymer had brought some from the wreck, but this was only sufficient tolast for a short time, and their lives might depend upon their obtaininga supply. Only those who have felt the want of water know how toappreciate its value. Others, in the meantime, employed themselves ingetting up a tent for the ladies; for which purpose they had broughtsome spare sails and ropes. In a short time the party which had goneout in search of water returned with the report that none was to befound. This rendered it important to economise their slender store, andto procure a future supply from the ship as soon as possible. 

All this time no one seemed to have thought of the French privateer. She had not been seen since the commencement of the hurricane, fromwhich, if she had escaped, it was too probable she would come and lookfor her prize. This was a source of anxiety to Captain Rymer, for, though of course anxious to escape from their present position, he hadno wish at all to fall again into the hands of the French. 

The men of the party found ample occupation for the rest of the day, inputting up shelter for themselves, for hot as is the climate of the WestIndies, it is dangerous to sleep exposed to the night dews. 

Pierre seemed anxious to make himself useful, and begged that he mightbe allowed to attend on the ladies. Jacques offered to undertake theoffice of cook, the duties of which he was far better able to performthan any of the English. The French lieutenant seemed the mostcast-down of any of the party. He sat by himself not speaking to anyone, and with an air of discontent, put away the food which was broughtto him. 

"The poor lieutenant mourns and seems very unhappy, " said David toPierre. 

"Yes, " answered Pierre, "he is often thus morose when anything annoyshim; the poor man has no religion. "

"Is he not a Roman Catholic?" asked David. 

"Oh, no; a large number of my countrymen threw off all religion at theRevolution, and many, like him, have not taken to any since. He, I amafraid, does not believe in God, or in any future state, but that whenhe dies he will become just like a dog or a pig; so, you see, he has nohope, and nothing to keep him up. "

"But what are you, Pierre? are you not a Roman Catholic?" asked David. 

"Oh, no, I am a Protestant, " answered Pierre; "there are a great manyProtestants in France, and though some few at the Revolution becameinfidels, by far the greater number remained firm to the true faith. "

"I didn't know there were any Protestants in France, " said Harry, who, like many boys at that time, fancied that the English were the onlyProtestant people in Europe. 

"Oh, yes, there are a great number who are known as Huguenots, and whofought bravely for the Protestant faith, " said Pierre. "My father wasof a Huguenot family, and many of his ancestors lost their lives for thelove they bore the Bible. "

"Ah! that was a noble cause to die for, " remarked David. "How sad tothink that people should reject the truths it contains. "

This conversation took place as the boys were sitting together in frontof the tent. Darkness now came rapidly on, but from the look of theweather there seemed every prospect of their having the blessing of aquiet night. The sea had gone completely down, and the moon shone forthover the calm waters, the light just falling upon the spot where thewreck lay, so that any object could be seen approaching it. CaptainRymer and Captain Williams agreed, however to keep watch for theprotection of their charges. Three English seamen, with the mate, wisely remained by their captain. There were, besides Captain Rymer, four gentlemen passengers, West Indian planters, going out to theirproperty. They were not men of much individual character, evidentlymore accustomed to look after their own creature comforts than totrouble them selves about their fellow-beings. There was one subject inwhich they were all agreed, that the emancipation of the negroes wouldruin them, and all persons concerned. It was a doubtful matter whethernegroes had souls, and that to attempt to educate them was a work of thegreatest folly. In this matter Captain Rymer did not agree with them, and the discussion of the subject afforded them abundant supply ofconversation at all times. 

The night passed quietly away. As soon as it was dawn, Captain Rymerurged Captain Williams to return at once to the wreck, and bring onshore a further supply of provisions and water. 

"We cannot tell what may occur, " he observed. "The hurricane season isnot yet over, and should another hurricane come on, and the vessel go topieces, we might be starved, and die for want of water. "

The wisdom of this advice was so evident, that the raft was immediatelydespatched, under the captain's charge, to bring off the cargo. In ashort time it returned, and a message was delivered from the captain, that he thought it would be wiser to build another raft, in order morerapidly to get the stores on shore. This work occupied the men thewhole of the day. Jacques alone remained on shore to cook theprovisions, with the help of Pierre, while David and Harry begged thatthey might be allowed to go off to the wreck, where they thought thatthey could make themselves useful. 

"I vote that we make a small raft for ourselves, " said Harry; "and Ithink that we can paddle her backwards and forwards several times, whilethe big raft is only making one voyage. "

With the experience they had already attained, they soon carried theirplan into execution, and in a short time conveyed a considerablequantity of the stores on shore. During their last trip, however, Harryobserved close alongside the raft a black fin, and a wicked pair of eyesglancing up at him. 

"There's a brute of a shark, " he exclaimed; "he thinks he's going to geta meal off one of us, I suspect. "

Still they kept paddling on, and the shark did not attempt to comenearer them. They were not sorry, however, when they reached the shore, and Captain Rymer told them that he considered they had done enough forthe day. It must be owned it was far pleasanter to sit near Mary, andlisten to the account of all their friends at home. She did not tellthem how completely they had been given up, for she knew it would makeHarry especially melancholy to think of the sorrow his supposed loss hadcaused his mother, nor did she tell him how very sorry she herself hadbeen. Indeed, she could say truly that many of their friends fullyexpected that they would turn up at last. 

"Doesn't this put you in mind of our picnic?" said Harry, looking up ather, "though to be sure we are somewhat changed since then, " lookingdown on his tarred and dirty dress. "I really think the next time I goon board the wreck I must try and find a new suit of clothes. "

"You do look rather disreputable, " said Mary, laughing, "for an officerin His Majesty's service. Here comes Jacques with the dinner. ReallyJacques must be a first-rate cook, and we ought to be thankful that heescaped. "

None of the party seemed inclined to be out of spirits, except thelieutenant, who sat as usual by himself, and refused to take the foodPierre offered him. Had it even been otherwise, the good well-cookeddinner provided by Jacques might have put them in good humour, whilethere was no lack of wine, of which the West Indian planters had laid ina good store. In the evening a further supply of provisions and waterwas obtained from the wreck. The next day was wisely occupied in thesame way, till a sufficient supply of food was landed to last for acouple of months or more. More than once it was discussed whether itcould be possible to get the wreck off, but it was agreed that withoutmore strength than they possessed it would be impossible, though, as faras could be ascertained, she had suffered no material damage. Some ofthe party thought they took a great deal of trouble for little purpose, and that it would be more easy to get the stores on shore as they wererequired. 

"They will see the wisdom of what we have done should a hurricane comeon, " said Captain Rymer, "and I am not at all sure, from the appearanceof the weather, that we shall escape one. "

The next morning the heat was intense. The sun rose surrounded by amass of ruddy hue, but was hidden ere long in a thick canopy of cloud. Not a breath of wind stirred the calm waters. In the distance a sailwas seen, which had approached the island during the night. CaptainRymer had been watching her for some time through his glass. The Frenchlieutenant, on observing her, sprang to his feet, and eagerly asked thecaptain to let him look through the glass. 

"It is the _Hirondelle_!" he exclaimed. "Then she did not go down inthe last hurricane. My captain guessed rightly that the prize was castaway on some island in this direction. He is a sagacious man. "

"I wish his sagacity had not led him to discover us, " said CaptainRymer. "If he lands here he may after all succeed in getting off theship. "

This announcement caused, as may be supposed, a considerable amount ofanxiety among those on the island. While they were watching, two boatswere seen to leave the schooner. Hitherto it had been so calm that afeather held up would have fallen to the ground. Suddenly, however, there came a low moaning sound, and the leaves of the palm trees beganto rustle strangely. In an instant afterwards the blast swept over theisland, snapping off the tops of many of the tallest trees. The tentswere blown down, and it was with difficulty that those on the islandcould avoid being carried away. The sea, hitherto so calm, came dashingin huge foaming billows against the weather side, and breaking over thewreck with tremendous force, and it seemed scarcely possible that shecould resist the blows that she was receiving. Now one sea and nowanother dashed against her, till she seemed to be completely coveredwith a mass of foam. They looked out for the schooner, she was nowhereto be seen. Either she had gone down, or had been driven far away bythe hurricane. The hurricane continued blowing without cessation; nowcoming from one quarter, and now from another. 

Evening was approaching, and an unusual darkness overspread the ocean. It was fearful to contemplate what might be the fate of many of thosewho floated on that stormy sea. It was impossible to put up any shelterfor the ladies, but Mary felt that she had her father to protect her, who sat by her side, sheltering her as well as he could, aided by Harryand David. Thus the night passed away, the whole party sitting groupedtogether for mutual protection. "What could have become of theschooner?" was a question often asked and answered. The morning brokeat length. The _Cerberus_ had disappeared, but still further off, atthe end of the reef, an object was seen. It was part of a wreck; therewere human beings clinging to it. "Whether Englishmen or Frenchman wemust endeavour to save them, " said Captain Rymer. 

CHAPTER ELEVEN. 

THE RESCUE OF THE FRENCH SEAMEN--MARY A PRISONER TO THE FRENCH--PIERREDELIVERS HER--BAD CONDUCT OF THE FRENCH. 

The hurricane had given signs of abating, but the sea was still far toorough to allow of even a good boat going off to the people on the reef;still more impossible would it have been to have reached them by meansof a raft. On examining the rafts which had been constructed to bringthe cargo on shore, both were found to have suffered by the hurricane. It was determined, therefore, to build a smaller and more manageableone, by means of which it was hoped to reach the shipwrecked people. This work Captain Williams and his companions immediately set aboutperforming. The French lieutenant now thoroughly aroused, lent his handto it. In the course of a couple of hours a structure was formed withwhich it was hoped they might venture out to sea. 

Their next undertaking was to cut out a number mast, and fit a sail forthe raft. Still the sea would not allow them to venture from the shore;they had, therefore, to wait patiently, watching in the meantime thepeople whom they were anxious to rescue. The wreck seemed to be fixedfirmly at the end of a reef, and to have afforded them a shelter fromthe fury of the seas, which would otherwise have washed them away. Still, as they probably had no food nor water, it was impossible thatthey could exist there for any length of time. Should any attempt bemade by those on the wreck to reach the shore by swimming, it was buttoo probable that they would be carried off by the sharks, numbers ofwhich swarmed around the island. In the meantime, the men were employedin getting up the tent, and in restoring matters to the condition theywere in before the hurricane. 

The poor ladies had suffered greatly from the alarm into which they hadbeen thrown, and it was necessary they should obtain that rest which hadbeen denied them during the night. Mary, however, kept up her spirits, and could not help expressing her thankfulness that Harry and David hadbeen saved, and were thus sharing with her the adventures which she wasnot likely to forget to the end of her days. 

"How curious it will be when they hear about us at home, " said David, "and that we were all wrecked together on this out-of-the-way island. "

"But how are they to hear about us?" observed Mary; "we must get awayfrom this before we can send a letter home, and how we are to get awayseems the question. "

"Some means will turn up, depend upon it, " said Harry, "we shall be seenby some passing ship, or if not, we must build a boat and try to reachsome of the nearest islands. We are not likely to have to spend all ourlives here, depend on that. "

They little thought of the difficulties and dangers they had still to gothrough. The day was advancing, but still the sea was considered toorough to allow the raft to be launched. They watched the people on thereef, who seemed to be clustering together, and who probably, unlessthey had a telescope, would not be aware that there were any people onthe shore likely to come to their assistance. At length the sun set, and very unwillingly they were obliged to abandon the hope of going offtill the following morning. They anxiously watched the weather duringthe night, and were thankful to find that the wind had dropped to aperfect calm. By daybreak Captain Williams summoned those who hadagreed to accompany him, consisting of his mate and two English seamen, and Jacques Rossillion. By means of the long sweeps, which had beencarefully fitted to the raft, they were enabled to urge it along at agood speed over the waters. 

"Success attend your efforts!" said Captain Rymer, as he assisted inshoving off the raft. Harry and David begged that they might also go, and assist in working the sweeps; and their offer was accepted. Theyhad a somewhat long voyage to perform, and though they vigorously workedthe sweeps they could not move the raft more than at the rate of threemiles an hour. As they approached the reef they were perceived by theshipwrecked party, who waved to them as if urging them to come faster. As they drew near the men pointed to their mouths, indicating that theywere suffering from thirst. Unhappily, no water had been brought off. Several, it appeared, had been in a state of delirium, and it was veryevident that it would be dangerous to approach too close to the wreck, lest a number jumping upon the raft might upset it. There appeared tobe about twenty or thirty people on the wreck, and Captain Williamsagreed that it would not be safe to convey more than eight or ten at atime to the shore. The French lieutenant recognised the men asbelonging to the schooner's crew, and he called out to them by name, ordering eight at a time to come down, and that they would be taken onboard. They did not seem, however, inclined to obey him. Fortunately, Captain Williams had stuck a brace of pistols in his belt, and he nowthreatened to shoot any who might attempt to come on board the raftunless ordered by the lieutenant. This had the effect of keeping backthe greater number, and eight of the Frenchmen were safely got on boardthe raft, which now at once commenced its return to the shore. Thosewho remained on the reef entreated that they might not be deserted, though they would scarcely believe the promise made by their officerthat he would return for them. The poor men who had been rescued showedhow much they had been suffering by pointing to their parched tongues, and again and again asking for water. 

Captain Williams and his companions exerted themselves to the utmost toreach the shore. This they at length accomplished, and water wasimmediately procured for the thirsty men. Their sufferings might bethose of the whole party, unless great economy was used in distributingthe precious fluid. A small cask was put on the raft, with some cups, and once more the party set forth to return to the reef, leaving thosewho had first landed to the care of their friends on shore. As the raftagain approached the reef, the poor wretches who had been left upon itwere seen stretching out their hands eagerly for water. There was stillgreat danger lest they might rush down, in their anxiety to obtain it, and either fall into the water or upset the raft. Much caution wastherefore necessary. The lieutenant and Jacques first leaped on to therock, when Captain Williams handed them up the cups of water; but thefirst man who got the cup refused to let it leave his lips till he haddrained every drop. Two were seen to fall backward after they haddrunk, and it was with difficulty they were saved from falling into thesea. Several who were already in a state of delirium, scarcely seemedto value the boon which had been brought them. In time, however, waterwas given to all, and it was now necessary to select those who might becarried away on the raft, as it would require another trip before allcould be removed. Harry and David looked somewhat anxiously for theFrench captain, but neither he nor any of the officers were among thosesaved. More than half of the crew, it was evident, had been lost. Thelieutenant did not ask questions; indeed the poor men were not in acondition to have replied to them. 

For the safety of the raft it was necessary to secure the limbs of thosewho were in a state of delirium, and it was painful to see themstruggling, as they lay on the raft, not understanding that this wasdone for their own safety. The second party were thus landed safely, and again the raft put off for the remainder of the crew. They had torow the whole way; indeed it was fortunate that there was no wind, as itwould have made the approach to the reef much more dangerous. As itwas, during the last trip the raft was very nearly driven against therocks by one of those sudden upheavings of the ocean which sometimesoccur, and send the water breaking over any opposing obstacle. Happily, they were able to shove off in time. 

Altogether, nearly thirty people were safely landed. It became, however, a serious consideration to the former occupants of the island, how the new comers were to be fed. They had provisions which might havelasted them a couple of months or more, though they had already seen thenecessity of going upon an allowance of water; their numbers were nowdoubled, and they had not water to last them more than a very shorttime. Still, disregarding the character of those who had been rescued, they did their utmost to restore the poor men who had been thrown upontheir care. Two of them, however, died from having drunk a largequantity of salt water, and others remained seriously ill for severaldays. 

The excitement of going off on the raft having subsided, the Frenchlieutenant again sunk into his former moody state. At length theFrenchmen appeared to have recovered, but they did not seem inclined toassociate with the English, nor with Jacques nor Pierre, who continuedto perform their former duties. Captain Rymer and Captain Williamsagreed that it would be necessary to put a guard over their provisionsand stores, lest the Frenchmen should take it into their heads to helpthemselves without leave. It was explained to them that they must becontent with a very moderate amount of food, and a still smallerquantity of water, unless a supply of the latter could be found. Theyseemingly acquiesced in the wisdom of this, but from the looks theyexchanged with each other, it was but too probable that they would betempted to break through the regulations which had been formed on thesubject. 

With regard to food, they might obtain sufficient to support life bothfrom the shell-fish on the shore, and from any fish they might catch, while the trees promised to afford them a supply of cocoanuts. Butwater was what they most required; without that it would be impossibleto support existence. As long, however, as they were supplied withfood, the Frenchmen did not show any inclination to search for it forthemselves. Pierre was sent to tell them that lines would be providedfor them, if they would try to catch some fish, and again the captainset out to make a fresh search for water. 

As soon as the Frenchmen had recovered, they showed a very differentdisposition to what they had previously exhibited. They then receivedthe food given to them by the English with apparent gratitude. Now, however, when it was sent to them they seized it rudely, and grumbledbecause the supply was not larger. Captain Rymer endeavoured to explainto the French lieutenant that the arrangements made were for the good ofall. He, however, either had no authority over his countrymen orpretended to have none. Still, as he associated himself with them, itwas evident that he intended to side with them whatever they might do. This state of things gave considerable anxiety to the English officers. It was arranged that a strict guard should be kept over the provisionsand water, and that no one should be allowed to take anything from thestores. 

Pierre continued, as before, to attend on the English, though heoccasionally paid a visit to the French, who were encamped at somelittle distance, and out of sight of the rest of the party. On beingquestioned, he said that the French claimed the stores as their own, because they had captured the vessel from which they were taken, andthat they were very angry at the idea of the English appropriating them. It was agreed, however, that unless they were preserved as before, theFrench sailors would probably consume the whole in a very short time, and all the party would be left in a state of starvation. Still, as theFrench had hitherto shown no disposition to annoy the English, thepassengers continued to stroll about the shore of the island without anyapprehension, as they had been accustomed to do. Harry and Davidfrequently escorted Mary in these expeditions. They always returnedwith a basket-full of shell-fish of various sorts. The boys also fittedsome fishing lines, and after a little practice they succeeded incatching a great many fish. Some of them were very beautiful; but whenthey showed them to Jacques, he told them that they were not fit to beeaten. Others, however, were excellent, and they had thus noapprehension with regard to not having provisions for their support, even though they might remain on the island for many months. The greatanxiety was with regard to water. 

One day Mary and her young companions had gone along the shore for aconsiderable distance, when they reached a point of rock upon which theybelieved that they should be able to catch a number of fish. Mary didnot take the same interest in the sport that they did, but preferredwandering along the beach and picking up the beautiful shells, andseveral curious creatures that had been cast on shore. Harry and Davidsoon began to catch a number of fish, and were completely absorbed intheir sport. Mary said that she would go along the beach some littledistance, and then return to them. They saw her walking along, nowstooping down to pick up a shell, now continuing her course close to thewater, when a rock hid her from view. Just at that moment the fishbegan to bite faster and faster, and as they hauled them up in theireagerness they forgot to look out for their companion. Suddenly Harryexclaimed, "What can have become of Mary? She is a long time away. "

They both shouted her name, but there was no answer. Gathering up theirlines and their fish they leaped off the rock, and ran along the beachin the direction she had gone. They did not, however, see her, andbecame greatly alarmed. In vain they shouted her name. 

"She certainly could not have turned back and gone the other way, " saidPhilip; "besides, see, here are the marks of her feet on the sand; shemust have gone on further than she intended. " They traced her by themarks of her feet in the sand for a considerable distance, when sheappeared to have turned inland, away from the beach. "Surely here arethe marks of other feet, " said David; "if there were any savages on theisland, I should be afraid she had been carried off by them. "

They now pursued in the direction of the marks of the feet, thoughMary's were no longer to be traced. The ground in the centre of theisland being hard, they here lost all traces. They looked round inevery direction. No persons were to be seen. They continued runningeagerly forward, shouting again and again Mary's name, when they foundthemselves in front of the French camp. The French jeered at them asthey passed, and as they were unable to speak French, they could notenquire if any of the people had seen Mary. Not knowing what else todo, they hurried back to their own friends with the bad news. CaptainRymer at first would scarcely credit the account they gave him. Hehowever, with the two boys and Captain Williams, immediately set out tosearch the neighbourhood of the spot where Mary had disappeared. It wasevident to them that she had not been carried away from the island; theytherefore came to the conclusion that the Frenchmen had made her aprisoner, in the hopes that they might thus compel the English to agreeto any terms they might propose. 

Captain Rymer therefore determined to go to the French with Pierre asinterpreter, and to ascertain what terms the French had to propose. Atfirst they denied that she was with them, but said that they weredetermined to have one half of the provisions and water as their propershare. Captain Rymer replied that they were determined for the good ofall those on the island not to give up the provisions, and againenquired whether they had seen his young daughter, but could get noanswer in return; and doubting whether the French really knew anythingabout Mary, he returned to consult further with Captain Williams. Itwas agreed that, should they yield to the demands of the Frenchmen, assoon as the first half of the provisions were consumed they would demandthe remainder, and that, therefore, it would be wiser at once to refusetheir demands. 

The day was drawing on, but still there were no signs of Mary. Theyarranged that Jacques should carry their food as usual to the French, and endeavour to obtain all the information that he could. Harry andDavid offered to go and watch in the neighbourhood of the camp, so thatif she really was there, and could make her escape, they might be readyto assist her. While they remained concealed, Pierre went on into thecamp. He brought a larger supply of food than usual to each man, andtalked to one and then to the other, often in no complimentary terms ofthe English. 

"And why do you remain with them?" was the question put to him. 

"Because I am well fed; and until you came I had none else to associatewith except Jacques, and I cannot make out whether he likes the Englishor our own countrymen the best. "

"Then do you intend to remain with us now?" was the question put toPierre. 

"O yes! I have had enough of the English, and wish to throw in myfortunes with my own countrymen. "

The Frenchmen seemed to think that Pierre was in earnest, as he showedno inclination to leave them. He was, however, very busy in going aboutamong the huts, whilst he put several questions to his countrymen, as towhether they could guess anything about the little girl who had beencarried off. "Our lieutenant knows something about that, and as he doesnot want to fight with the English, hopes to gain his object bydiplomacy. "

This convinced Pierre that Mary was in the camp, and he determined toset her free if he could. There was a hut in a grove close to the camp, into which he had hitherto not looked, and he thought it very likelythat Mary had been shut up there. He knew, however, that he should bewatched, especially by the lieutenant, who was walking up and down onthe beach, in his usual moody manner. Nothing could be done, at allevents, until it was dark; and he therefore continued laughing andtalking with his countrymen, so as if possible to throw them off theirguard. He observed the lieutenant once visit the hut with a tin offood, and, on leaving it, he placed a log of wood across the door. Thisconvinced him more even than before that Mary was shut up there. 

Night came on at last. By the conversation of the Frenchmen, he fearedthat they had determined to have possession of the provisions by force, if they could not gain them in any other way. The Frenchmen amusedthemselves as their countrymen, even under the most adversecircumstances, are accustomed to do, by singing, telling stories, andoccasionally getting up and dancing. At last, tired with theirexertions, they laid themselves down in their huts. Pierre waited untilthey all seemed asleep. He most dreaded being detected by thelieutenant. He crept cautiously near the hut in which he was lyingdown, and, greatly to his satisfaction, found that he also was asleep. He instantly stole off to the hut in which he believed Mary wasconfined. The log at the entrance was somewhat heavy, and he had nolittle difficulty in removing it without making a noise. He pushed backthe rough planks that formed the door, and there, to his infinitesatisfaction, he saw Mary. She was seated on a heap of boughs in acorner of the hut, with her hands tied together, and her feet secured toa log. She uttered an exclamation of surprise on hearing Pierreapproach. 

"Hush!" he said, "make no noise, I have come to release you. "

He fortunately had the knife in his pocket that David had given him, andwith this he quickly cut the ropes with which the little girl was bound. 

"Now, " he said, "take my hand, and I will lead you to those with whomyou will soon find your way back to your friends. "

Saying this, he took her hand and led her through the grove, the Frenchcamp soon being lost sight of. They quickly found the spot where Harryand David were waiting. The boys were delighted at finding their youngcompanion, and hurried off, supporting her between them, to theirfriends, while Pierre returned to the French. Captain Rymer wasoverjoyed at seeing his daughter, as will be supposed. The English didnot rest much that night, not knowing what the French would next do. Itwas nearly morning when a footstep was heard approaching the camp, andPierre came running up. "My countrymen have determined to attack you, and take the provisions by force, " he said; "I had just time to escape, for they already suspected me of assisting Miss Rymer to escape. "

Jacques, who had remained with the English, was very sorry to hear whatthe French proposed doing; he promised, however, to fight on the side ofhis friends. Ten muskets, and a small supply of powder and ball, hadbeen brought from the wreck. Of these the Frenchman were not aware, butas there was very little ammunition, it would soon be exhausted, andthen numbers would prevail. 

CHAPTER TWELVE. 

THE ARRIVAL OF THE "ARETHUSA"--THE FRENCH TAKEN PRISONERS--DAVID BECOMESA MIDSHIPMAN--THE FIGHT AND VICTORY--JOY AT HOME--THE END. 

Captain Rymer had taken the precaution of throwing up a breastwork roundthe camp, which might assist him in repelling any attack of theFrenchmen. "Though my countrymen will kill me if they discover I havewarned you, I would rather die than that you should be taken bysurprise, " exclaimed Pierre, as he was helped over the parapet. 

"We hope that we shall be able to protect you, " said Harry, who withDavid had been on guard some time. 

"Never fear; we have firearms, and your countrymen are without them. Ifthey come, they will receive a warmer reception than they expect. "

A few minutes afterwards a number of persons were seen stealing towardsthe camp, and evidently hoping to take the company by surprise. "Silence!" said Captain Rymer to his companions, "we will let themsuppose that we are asleep, and then, if we suddenly start up and fire amusket or two over their heads they will become so alarmed that theywill perhaps desist from the attack. " This plan was followed out. TheFrenchmen were evidently somewhat startled at finding that those theyhad come to attack were better armed than themselves. 

"Now, Pierre, tell them that if they come on many of them will bekilled, " said Captain Rymer; "we don't wish to injure them, but we areresolved not to yield to their demand. "

The Frenchmen hearing this at first seemed to hesitate, but shouting toeach other they again advanced towards the embankment. "You will takethe consequences of your folly, " said Captain Rymer, and Pierreinterpreted what he said. Several shots were fired, and two or three ofthe Frenchmen were apparently hit. The discharge had the effect ofmaking them retreat. It was evident, however, that from the few musketsthat had gone off that the powder was far from good, and that littledependence could therefore be placed on their firearms. Still itappeared that the French had had enough for the moment, as having failedin their expected surprise of the English they retreated once more totheir own camp. But the state of affairs was very serious, as it couldnot be supposed that they would not again attempt to attack the camp. 

"One thing must be done, " observed Captain Rymer; "as soon as the suncomes out we must dry our powder, that it may prove of more use than itdid just now. " In a short time daylight broke, and the sun, rising outof the ocean, shed a bright light over the scene. As he rose, his raysfell on the white sails of a ship, not two miles from the island. Captain Rymer's telescope was immediately turned towards her. "She's anEnglish frigate, " he exclaimed. 

"Let me look, sir! let me look!" cried Harry, eagerly. 

"That she is, indeed, and my own ship, the _Arethusa_, I am sure she is, I should know her among fifty other frigates. We expected that shewould be sent out to the West Indies. "

The great point was now to draw the attention of those on board thefrigate to the island. A flagstaff was quickly erected at a point clearof the trees, and as the flag was run up, several muskets were fired atthe same time. They waited anxiously to see the effect. In anotherminute an answering gun was fired from the frigate, and almost at thesame moment a couple of boats were seen approaching the shore. Harry'sdelight was very great when he recognised several of his shipmates inthe boats. The second lieutenant of the frigate, who came in command, was the first person to step on shore. Harry, forgetting his ownappearance, instantly ran up to him, and was somewhat mortified at thelook of astonishment with which the lieutenant regarded him. 

"What, don't you know me, sir?" exclaimed Harry. 

"I begin to have an idea, " said the lieutenant, putting out his hand, "though there are one or two reasons why I should not know you. Thefirst is, that we thought you had lost the number of your mess; and, excuse me, you certainly do not look like an English midshipman. "

"No, sir, I don't think I do, " said Harry, laughing. "Now let meintroduce my friends to you. Here is Mr David Morton, and CaptainRymer and Miss Rymer, and all these ladies and gentlemen. And it willtake some time to tell you all about ourselves. "

Harry, in his joy, let his tongue run on, scarcely knowing what he wassaying. Captain Rymer now stepped forward and explained the state ofaffairs. This required some little time to do. 

"I am sure the captain will be very glad to receive the master, crew, and all the passengers of the _Cerberus_ on board the frigate, " repliedthe lieutenant; "but I don't know how he will be inclined to treat theFrenchmen, who have behaved as you have described. If they are left onthe island they will probably perish of thirst. But, in the meantime, should any English vessel come here, they might take the crew prisoners, and make off in her. "

It was agreed, therefore, that the best way would be to carry them offas prisoners to Jamaica. The Frenchmen were very indignant at hearingthe arrangements that had been made, but when they saw that the boat'screw were armed they had the sense to know that resistance was useless. Harry and David entreated that Pierre and Jacques might not be madeprisoners, and of course their request was granted. Both Jacques andPierre begged that they might enter on board the frigate. In a shorttime nearly all those who had lately been living on the island werecarried on board the frigate. The Frenchmen were placed in the prisonforward. There was one exception, however, the French lieutenant wasnowhere to be found. While the rest of his countrymen were embarking hehad disappeared. A boat's crew was sent on shore to search for him. The only trace that could be discovered of him was his hat at the end ofa ledge of rocks, off which it was supposed he had thrown himself, andbeen drowned. Poor man! he had given up all hopes of happiness in thislife, and had refused to believe in a life to come. 

In those days it was not so difficult to enter the navy as at thepresent time. Notwithstanding all the hardships David had gone throughhe was as anxious as ever to become a midshipman. The captain promisedto place him on the quarter-deck, if he preferred remaining out in theWest Indies instead of going home. David was naturally very anxious tosee his friends; but at the same time his darling desire to enter thenavy could now be realised. If he went home he would be separated fromHarry, whom he now looked upon more than ever as a brother. 

"At all events, I will remain out, " said David, "till I can hear fromhome, and then, should my father and mother desire me to return, I mustobey them. "

The frigate conveyed Captain Rymer to his government, in the island of, and as she was constantly cruising about in that neighbourhood Harry andDavid had frequent opportunities of seeing Mary. Those were stirringdays, and midshipmen met with various adventures. David at lengthanxiously broke open a letter which reached him from home. His fatherand mother expressed their gratitude to Heaven that he had escaped somany dangers, and told him that, as his heart was set on becoming amidshipman, they would no longer oppose his wishes. 

Several years passed by; the frigate was at one time cruising amongstthe West Indian Islands, and at another time she was sent to Halifax, then the chief station of the American squadron. Fully four yearspassed away before she was ordered home. The command held by CaptainRymer at the same time came to an end, and he and Mary prepared toreturn to England. The _Arethusa_ sailed some little time after them. Her crew, as was too often the case, was diminished by yellow fever; butthe survivors thought only of once more reaching their native land, andlooked forward with joy at the prospect of again seeing the white cliffsof old England. Already the frigate was more than half-way across theAtlantic, when one morning a sail was espied on the weather-bow; thesails were trimmed and the frigate gave chase. The stranger took herfor an enemy, and did everything to escape, and not without good hopesof success, for she was evidently a fast craft. 

The _Arethusa_ was, however, one of the fastest frigates in the navy, and it was not likely that the chase would succeed, unless, favoured bythe darkness, she might alter her course during the night. A sharplook-out was kept. Twice the look-out man exclaimed that she wasnowhere to be seen, but again she was caught sight of. When morningdawned it was calculated that the frigate had gained considerably uponher. The chase continued for the best part of the day. At last thefrigate got her within length of her bow-chasers. Several shots werefired without inducing her to haul down her colours, which were French. She was a large schooner, a powerful vessel, with heavy masts and sails. At length a shot carried away her main-topmast, and now, finding thatany further attempt at escaping was useless, the colours were hauleddown. She proved to be a French privateer returning home after asuccessful cruise. The rage of the Frenchmen was very great at findingthemselves captured, when they so soon expected to be in _La BelleFrance_ to enjoy the booty they had obtained. In a short time, however, after the greater number had been transferred to the deck of thefrigate, they were dancing and singing, apparently forgetful of theirmisfortune. As no lieutenant from the frigate could be spared to takecharge of the prize, Harry, who had now become an experienced officer, was sent on board in command, and David went as his lieutenant. Pierrebegged that he might accompany them. For two or three days they kept insight of the frigate, but a gale coming on, with thick weather, whenmorning broke the _Arethusa_ was nowhere to be seen. 

"We must find our way up Channel as best we can, " said Harry. "I thinkyou and I can manage a correct day's work, though we have not had asmuch experience in navigation as would be desirable. "

The weather continued bad for several days, during which the schoonerwas hove-to. Once more the sky cleared; the wind moderated, and acoarse was steered up Channel. 

"I can scarcely fancy that more than four years have passed away sinceyou and I drifted out here in a boat with poor old Jefferies. We returnin a very different style, don't we?" remarked Harry to his companion. 

They had reached, they calculated, the chops of the Channel, when alarge merchant ship was seen ahead. 

"Should she prove to be an enemy's craft she will make a rich prize, "said David. 

"I rather think she is English, " said Harry; "but see, there is anothervessel, a large lugger I make her out to be, bearing down upon her. Thelugger is French, there is no doubt about that. I should not besurprised if she is a privateer, about to pounce down upon the merchantvessel. If the Frenchmen have seen us, they take us to be French also, and are anxious to secure the prize before we come up, " observed Harry. "I am not, however, certain that she will do that; see, there is astrong breeze from the westward coming up, and the sails of the twovessels are already becalmed. "

Harry was right; the schooner carried up the breeze, and stood inbetween the two vessels before the lugger had time to fire a shot. Instantly hoisting English colours, Harry boldly stood towards thelugger, followed by the merchant ship. He at once opened fire on thelugger, who made all sail to escape. This was what Harry had determinedshe should not do. The schooner carried two long guns in her bows. These were so well worked that after a few shots the lugger's mizen-mastwas knocked away. The main-mast followed, and the lugger, being nowreduced to an almost helpless condition, hauled down her colours. Asmay be supposed, Harry and David's delight was very great, at not onlyhaving made so valuable a prize, but saving a valuable merchant vesselfrom capture. Still greater was their satisfaction when going on boardthe merchant vessel, they found that Captain Rymer and Mary were amongstthe passengers. 

The merchantman was bound for Falmouth, and to that port Harry alsoresolved to steer with the prize, as she was not in a condition to betaken up Channel. The next morning the three vessels anchored inFalmouth Harbour. As neither Harry nor David could leave their vessels, a messenger was despatched to their homes, and in a short time Mr andMrs Morton, Mrs Merryweather, and a considerable number of friends whoformed the picnic party on that memorable day when Harry and David wentadrift in a boat, were collected at the Green Bank Hotel. If Harry hadbeen looked upon as a hero on the distant day of which we speak, muchmore so was he now. 

Both Harry and David rose to rank and honour in the noble professionthey had selected, and as soon as the former obtained his rank aspost-captain, Mary Rymer became his wife; and among the adventures heloved to describe to his young descendants, was that of how he and hisfriend Admiral Morton, in their younger days, went "Adrift in a Boat. "

THE END.