ondition, on and off, till I heard the anchor running out at the bows,
and understood from those who lay near that we were at the Nore.

Had I wanted any further proof of our arrival in English waters, the
shouting and saluting and bustle and laughter all around left no doubt
of it.

"Come, lad," said the lieutenant, standing over me, while two sailors
set down a stretcher beside my berth, "the tender's alongside to take
you poor fellows ashore. The doctor says you must go to hospital, and
they'll have another look for the bullet there. So keep up heart, man.
Here are your papers, and a good word thrown in from the admiral
himself, bless him!"

The pain of being lifted on to the stretcher and carried on deck was
almost beyond endurance, yet I could hardly help, as I passed the
cheering crowd of our fellows, giving a faint "hurrah" in time with
theirs. For our noble old admiral stood on the gangway, with a kind
word for every one, especially the wounded.

"Never say die, my brave lad," said he, as I was carried by; "you stuck
to your post bravely.--Steady, men," added he, as the two bearers broke
step for a moment; "the poor boy has had jolting enough without you.--
God bless you, my fellow!"

And so I parted company with the bravest and kindliest gentleman I ever
came across.

Every one ashore was wild with the news of the great victory, and we
poor cripples were escorted to the hospital like heroes. I wished, for
my part, I had been allowed to get there quietly, for the horses of our
waggon started and winced at the noise of the shouting and music, so
that my poor shoulder was all aflame long before I got to our journey's
end, and I myself in a high fever.

The doctors had a rare bullet-hunt over my poor body; and when it was
found, there were bone-splinters still harder to get at. The result was
that when I was at last bound up and left to mend, I was so weak and
shattered that for weeks--indeed, for nearly three months--I lay,
sometimes in a fever, sometimes recovering, sometimes relapsing,
sometimes recovering again, till I found myself one of the veterans of
the hospital.

What, during those weeks, were my fevered dreams you may guess. In
fancy I was hunting through the world for Miss Kit; and as sure as I
found her, Tim appeared and claimed my help; and ere Tim could be
helped, my little mistress had vanished again and a new search was
begun--now in Ireland, now in Paris, now in Holland, now up and