y your search be prosperous," said the Admiral,
with much feeling.

The order to go to sea again was at first received with no little
surprise on board; but the fact that the _Ariadne_ was missing being
generally known on shore, and the blue-peter being hoisted, the officers
who had gone on leave came hurrying back.

That night, with a fine breeze we had run Malta out of sight.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

SAIL IN SEARCH OF THE ARIADNE--FALL IN WITH A BOAT AND CREW--THE MASTER
OF THE HELEN--HIS NARRATIVE--ATTACK OF PIRATES--CAPTAIN DELANO--CAN HE
HAVE SEIZED THE ARIADNE?

"Something black and low over the starboard bow," sung out the man
stationed on the main-topgallant-masthead.

"How far off is it?" hailed the first-lieutenant.

"Two miles or thereabout, sir," was the reply.

"What does it look like?" was again asked.

"A boat, I think, sir, as much as anything," answered the look-out.

Scarcely had the seaman aloft hailed the deck, than Mr Vernon, his
countenance paler than usual, showing the agitation within, had slung
his glass over his shoulder, and was on his way up the rigging. At the
topgallant-masthead he now sat, eagerly looking out towards the point
indicated. The ship's course was instantly directed towards it. It was
an exciting moment. It might prove to be a boat, keel uppermost, and
have no tale to tell, except to let us surmise that she had proved no
ark of safety to those who had trusted to her; or she might have living
beings on board, whom our discovery of her might rescue from starvation
and death. Other officers followed Mr Vernon aloft.

"She is a boat afloat, and pulling towards us," sung out one of them.

Everybody on board was looking over the sides or out of the ports at the
boat, which we neared rapidly. We soon made out that there were several
people in her besides those who were pulling; but whether there was a
lady or not, we could not discover. I pitied poor Mr Vernon's feelings
all the time very much. He came down on deck again, and stood at the
gangway pale as death, but manfully suppressing his emotion. The boat
drew near us. She was evidently belonging to a merchantman, and, from
her build, and the appearance of the people, they were English; but
there was no female form among them. Mr Vernon scrutinised the
countenances of those in the boat as she came alongside; but he soon,
apparently, recognised none as those he had seen on board the _Ariadne_,
for he drew a dee