rst
lieutenant, Mr Leslie, whom I followed closely. We had sprung on the
deck of the enemy, and a big Frenchman was about to cut him down, when I
caught the blow on my cutlass, and saved his life. One hundred and
fifty gallant fellows coming on board after us, we quickly swept the
Frenchmen from the deck, and they, crying out that they surrendered, we
hauled down their flag. I did not think that Mr Leslie was aware of
the service I had rendered him till he thanked me for it, and ever
afterwards was my friend. I had the good chance, also, some time
afterwards, of keeping his head above water, when our ship, the
_Laurel_, was capsized in a hurricane in the West Indies; and though, of
course, it was what I would have done for anyone, I was very thankful to
have been the means of again saving his life, though I ran, he always
declared, no little risk of losing my own. I served with him when he
commanded the _Favourite_, sloop-of-war, and afterwards in the _Active_,
frigate, when we captured a Spanish galleon, which put some hundred
pounds into the pockets of each of the men, and a good many thousands
into those of the captain. I was pretty fortunate on board other ships,
in which I sailed to different parts of the world, getting back to old
England safe at last.

CHAPTER TWO.

Getting back safe home at last, like many another sailor, I might have
sung--

"'Twas in the good ship _Rover_
I sail'd the world around,
For full ten years and over
I ne'er touch'd British ground.
And when at length I landed,
I could not long remain;
Found all my friends were stranded,
So went to sea again."

Jerry, the truest of them, who had at the Peace gone on shore, I could
nowhere hear of; my poor mother was dead, my brothers at sea, and my
sisters either married or in service. One of the youngest, my sister
Jane, I was told was living near Ryde with the family of a captain in
the navy, and on inquiry I found he was no other than my old commander,
Captain Leslie. I started at once with my pockets pretty well lined
with gold, for I had just received a good lumping share of prize-money,
which I was sorely puzzled to know what to do with. I was pleased at
the thought of again seeing my old captain, though I scarcely fancied he
would remember much about the little services I had done him. Who
should open the door but Jane herself! She did not know me, but I knew
her, though she had grown from a girl into a yo