Mr Voules wanted me to swap you for Tom Dolter, but I took Tom's
measure some time ago, and let me tell you, my lad, that you may bless
your stars. It's not pleasant to serve a dozen masters, though, if I
hadn't held out, that young lord and Mr Voules would have had their
way."

Dick had good reason to be thankful at his escape. Next day the frigate
went out to Spithead, took her powder on board, and blue-peter was
hoisted, as a signal that she was about to sail.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

DEFIANT LOOKS--THE SPIRIT OF ILL-WILL INCREASES--SOME "VERY KIND
INTENTIONS"--DICK'S PERSECUTORS--IN THE MIDSHIPMEN'S MESS--PADDY LOGAN
AND TOADY VOULES--THE LAST LOOK AT OLD ENGLAND--THE FIRST ENCOUNTER--MR
BITTS TO THE RESCUE--IDEAS OF REVENGE--A SAIL ON THE LEE BOW--PREPARING
FOR ACTION--A FIERCE BATTLE--THE WOLF VICTORIOUS--BRAVERY OF DICK--HARD
WORK TO KEEP THE PRIZE AFLOAT--BOUND FOR PLYMOUTH WITH THE PRIZE.

The frigate's sails were loose, the crew at the capstan tramped round to
the merry sound of the fife, the boatswain's pipe was heard shrilly
repeating the orders he received; the sails were sheeted home, the
anchor came to the bows, was catted and fished, and the _Wolf_, with
canvas widespread to the breeze, glided majestically through the waters
of the Solent. Dick wisely kept as much as possible out of the way of
Lord Reginald. When they occasionally came in sight of each other, he
did not fail to remark the angry look the young lord cast at him, while
he himself could not help glancing at the other's arm, still in a sling.

"That young ruffian's insolence is unbearable!" exclaimed Lord Reginald,
on one occasion, turning away and addressing Voules, whom he happened to
meet. "I wish that he had been caught on shore, when he would have been
sent off to prison, and we should not have been troubled with him here.
I was half inclined to denounce him as a fugitive from justice when I
first saw him on board; but as we wanted hands, I thought that the
captain would not thank me."

"We'll pay him off somehow or other," answered Voules. "I'll find the
means to do it, and he'll wish he had been sent to prison before he
stepped on the _Wolf's_ decks."

"I say, Oswald, what's happened to your arm?" asked Charles Ludlam, the
senior mate of the berth, in which most of the members of their mess
happened to be collected.

"A blow I received on it," answered Lord Reginald, not being willing to
explain matters.

"He got it while