thers, to get hold of a half-hatch,
to cut some spars adrift, and to shove off to a distance, when down she
went, carrying with her every soul on board. I don't wish to harrow the
young lady's feelings by describing the scene. A few floated up and
shouted out for help, but we couldn't give it, for our own raft was
already loaded. Before many minutes were over, even the stoutest
swimmers had sunk beneath the surface. I had got hold of an axe and a
coil of rope, and we managed to lash the spars to a grating. While so
employed, one of the men slipped off; as he couldn't swim, he was
drowned, and thus we had more room. The sea rapidly got up, and now
another of my companions was washed away, and then the last. I secured
myself to the raft, resolved to struggle for life while I had strength;
but had not, fortunately, your ship stood towards me, and your brave
mate gallantly hauled me on board, I should to a certainty have been
lost."

"I am very thankful, sir, that my mate was the means of saving you,"
said Captain Tracy; "you cannot praise him too highly. He has sailed
with me since he first came to sea, and though he took to the life
somewhat later than most people do, he has become a better seaman than
many of his elders."

"I don't doubt it, sir; I should judge from his looks that he is all you
describe him to be," answered the stranger.

"You say," resumed Captain Tracy, "that the English and French are at
loggerheads again--can you tell me whether any king's ships have been
sent out for the protection of our commerce, or, what is of more
consequence to us, whether many French privateers are already afloat?"

"As to that, it was reported that a fleet was fitting out at Portsmouth
with all despatch to be placed under the command of Sir Edward Hawke;
and it was said that Admiral Byng was to be sent to the Mediterranean
with a squadron. Another fleet was already at sea, under the command of
Admiral Holburne; and the news has arrived that he came up with and
attacked the French fleet, commanded by Admiral Macnamara, off the
American coast, and captured two 64-gun ships, with a considerable
number of troops on board. It is evident, therefore, that the English
are no longer asleep, as they have been for some time past, and are
intending to carry on the war with vigour. With regard to the
Frenchmen, they are pretty wide awake, though they may not have expected
to be attacked so suddenly; and as far as I was able