can, enable our prize to
escape."

"Morbleu!" exclaimed the Frenchman. "One might suppose that you rarely
capture a prize, you seem so anxious to retain the one you have now
got."

On board the prize, all the preparations which could possibly be made
were carried out. Such guns as were uninjured were loaded, fresh
tackles rove. Her hard-worked crew recovered their spirits, and even
Ben, for a time, ceased to growl. Still, considering the battered state
of both ships, there seemed every probability, should the stranger turn
out to be an enemy, that they must fall into her hands; and that a
French prison would be their destination, instead of the triumphant
reception they expected to meet at home, and the prize-money with which
they hoped to fill their pockets.

"It would be a great bore if that fellow does turn out to be a
Frenchman," observed Voules to Lord Reginald. "I was in hopes that you
would be able to get leave to pay another visit to Elverston Hall. It
would be a great pleasure to accompany you."

"Of course, my dear fellow, I shall be delighted, as my father gives me
leave to bring any friends I like; though it appeared to me that you got
rather tired at last, or you wouldn't have taken to dangling after the
ladies in the curious fashion you did."

"Tired! Oh dear no! their delightful society was sufficient attraction.
I was never happier in my life."

"Well, the honest truth is, my brother John told me that he thought you
spent too much of your time with them, and he made one or two other
remarks which I don't wish to repeat. You'll take the hint, should you
go there again. However, instead of that, we may possibly have to spend
the next few months at Verdun, or some other delectable place in France.
I suppose they won't shut us up in the Bastile, or treat us as Napoleon
did Captain Wright?"

"Oh, don't talk of that!" cried Voules. "We must hope that yonder ship
will prove to be a friend; for though the captain may resolve to fight
her, should she be an enemy, we must inevitably suffer severely, even if
we escape capture."

As the stranger drew nearer and nearer, the excitement on board
increased. The countenances of the Frenchmen at length, however, began
to look blank. Then, as the glorious flag of England blew out from the
peak of the stranger, a cheer rose from the deck of the _Wolf_, which
was taken up by that of the prize.

Signals were exchanged. The British ship made her number