e raft, and, lifting up the English
midshipman, carried him to the stern-sheets, where Rayner stood with a
cup of water ready to give him.

He grasped it with both his hands, and eagerly drank the contents. A
second mug had in the meantime been filled. One of the Frenchmen, in
his eagerness to reach it, stretched out his arms, and fell flat on his
face. The English seamen lifted him up, and gently poured the water
down his throat. He and two more were lifted on board. They then took
a cup to the rest, who were too weak to make the slightest exertion.
They poured some water down the throat of one; he gave one gasp, and
then sank back, apparently lifeless. A sixth person was already beyond
human help. On raising his arm, it fell again at his side.

"Are we to take these two bodies with us?" asked one of the men. "They
don't seem to have any life in them."

"Yes, by all means," answered Rayner; "we must let the doctor judge
about them--perhaps he may bring them round."

The two bodies were placed in the bows, and the crew giving way, Rayner
steered for the ship. As he looked at the countenance of the English
midshipman, he thought he had seen him before. He did not trouble him
with questions, however; indeed, although the latter had asked for
water, it was very evident that he was unable to answer them.

The boat was soon alongside. The young midshipman was the first lifted
on board.

"Why, who can this be?" exclaimed the commander. "How came he among the
crew of the privateer?"

Rayner explained that he had seen him spring on deck the instant before
the ship blew up, but more about him he could not say, as he had not
spoken a word since he was taken on board the boat.

"Carry him at once into my cabin," said the commander. "You'll do all
you can for him I know, doctor," he added, addressing the surgeon, who,
with the aid of the master and another officer, had already lifted up
the young stranger.

"He wants nourishment more than doctoring," answered the surgeon.

While the midshipman was being carried into the cabin, the
assistant-surgeon was examining the other men. He ordered some broth to
be given to the three who had first been taken into the boat, observing
that it was the only thing they required; and he then at once turned his
attention to a fourth man, whose pulse he felt with a serious
countenance.

"There's life in him still," he observed; and ordering his head to be
slightly raised,