stood for Spithead. A number of vessels were
brought up there, and at the Mother-bank, off Ryde, among them a few
men-of-war, but mostly merchantmen, outward bound, or lately come in
waiting for orders. It was difficult as yet to distinguish the craft
the foreigner wanted to be put aboard.

"It won't matter if we have to dodge about a little to find her,
mounseer, for one thing's certain: we couldn't have a finer day for a
sail," observed old Tom, as we glided smoothly over the blue water,
shining brightly in the rays of the unclouded sun.

He gave me the helm while he looked out for the foreign ship.

"That's her, I've a notion," he said at length, pointing to a
deep-waisted craft with a raised poop and forecastle, and with much
greater beam than our own wall-sided merchantmen. "Keep her away a bit,
Peter. Steady! That will do."

The tide was running to the westward, so that we were some time getting
up to the ship.

"You'll be aboard presently, if that is your ship, as I suppose,
mounseer," said Tom.

"Yes, yes; dat is my sheep," answered the foreigner, fumbling in his
pockets, I fancied, for his purse.

He uttered an exclamation of annoyance. "Ma monie gone! Some villain
take it, no doubte. You come aboard de sheep, and I vill give it you,
my friend," he said. "One half guinea is de charge, eh? I have also
letter to write; you take it and I vill give two shillings more."

"All right, mounseer, I will wait your pleasure, and promise to post
your letter," answered Tom.

As there were several boats alongside, he told me to keep under weigh
till he should hail me to come for him, and as he was as active as any
man, in spite of his wooden leg, taking the foreigner by the hand, he
helped him up on deck. I then hauled the tacks aboard and stood off to
a little distance. I waited and waited, watching the ship, and
wondering why Tom was so long on board.

The wind at last began to drop, and afraid of being carried to leeward,
I was on the point of running up alongside when I heard a fearful
roaring thundering sound. A cloud of black smoke rose above the ship,
followed by lurid names, which burst out at all her ports; her tall
masts were shot into the air, her deck was cast upwards, her sides were
rent asunder; and shattered fragments of planks, and of timbers and
spars, and blocks, and all sorts of articles from the hold, came flying
round me. I instinctively steered away from the danger, and though