run his chance of finding his friends. However, as
you seem to have made a good nurse, you may take charge of him till we
can send him away."

"Thank you, sir," said Dick, as he touched his hat, glad of even this
short respite, and hoping that something might turn up to induce the
captain to allow the child to remain on board. "We will take good care
of him--that we will; and if he has to go back to his friends, we will
see that he is in proper trim, so that they won't be nohow ashamed of
him."

Dick, having thus delivered himself, swung his body round and hurried
forward with light step, holding his young charge in his arms.

The _Laurel_ and the other ships, with their prizes, were at this time
standing away from the land. The seamen grumbled not a little at having
to give up their booty: they could not understand why the merchantmen
should have been cut out, and they not allowed to keep what they had
picked up on shore.

An officer, who spoke French, now came from one of the prizes with some
important information which he had obtained from a prisoner. It was to
the effect that three heavy French frigates were hourly expected off the
coast. Captain Blunt accordingly ordered a bright look-out to be kept
for any strange sail. In a short time three were descried standing
along shore. There could be no doubt that they were the enemy's
frigates; and as the two corvettes and brig could not hope to cope with
them, all sail was made to escape. The enemy soon afterwards were seen
crowding all sail in chase: the prizes were ordered by signal to
separate and to make the best of their way to Jamaica, while the
_Laurel_ and her consorts stood to the eastward, under all the canvas
they could spread. Before nightfall they had run their powerful foes
out of sight.

The next day a heavy gale sprang up, which increased to a hurricane. A
signal of distress was made by the unfortunate ten-gun brig, while the
other sloop was evidently in a bad plight.

During the night, the _Laurel_ having to run before the gale, lost sight
of both of them. The gale continuing longer than usual, ere it ceased
she found herself in a the wide waters of the Atlantic, with all her
boats washed away or stove in, her three top-masts gone, and besides
other damages, a leak sprung, which kept the pumps going for the best
part of each watch.

CHAPTER TWO.

THE LIFE-RAFT.

The _Laurel_ had for some days been becalmed, and though every on