e had
seen several dragged on board the proas, and then hacked to pieces and
hove overboard.

"We chased and sank some of the pirate fleet, and made every possible
search for the missing men, in case any of them should have escaped on
shore, to which they were close at the time of the attack, but no traces
of them could be discovered. I left an account of the occurrence with
the vessel which relieved me on the station, and should any of the poor
fellows have been found I should have been informed of it. It was my
intention, as soon as I was paid off the _Lapwing_, to come down to
Portsmouth to break the news to his father. Say this from me, and that
I yet hope to see him shortly."

Commander Rogers seemed very sorry when I told him that father and
mother were both dead. He asked me where I lived. I told him, as well
as I could describe the house, forgetting that, too probably, Mary and I
and Nancy would not be long allowed to remain there.

"When I commission another ship, would you like to go with me, my lad?"
he asked.

"Very much, sir," I answered. "But I have a sister, and I couldn't go
away with no one to take care of her; so I must not think of it now Tom
Swatridge has gone. All the same, I thank you kindly, sir."

"Well, well, my lad; we will see what can be done," he said, and just
then a midshipman came up to report that the boat was ready to carry the
rescued man, with the surgeon, to the shore.

I found that the master's mate, Mr Harvey, and one of the men were
going in my boat, and of course I did not like to say that I could get
into the harbour very well without them. I touched my hat to the
commander, who gave me a kind nod--it would not have done for him, I
suppose, to shake hands with a poor boy on his quarter-deck even if he
had been so disposed--and then I hurried down the side.

I made sail, and took the helm just as if I had been by myself, Mr
Harvey sitting by my side, while the seaman had merely to rig out the
mainsail with the boat-hook, as we were directly before the wind.

"You are in luck, youngster," observed Mr Harvey; "though you have lost
one friend you've gained another, for our commander always means what he
says, and, depend on it, he'll not lose sight of you."

He seemed a very free-and-easy gentleman, and made me tell him all about
myself, and how we had lost father and mother, and how Tom Swatridge had
taken charge of Mary and me. His cheerful way of talking made m