u might easily, I should have thought, have got
hold of them."

"I felt in honour bound not to do so, sir. I was trusted on board; but
as I had not given my word not to escape, I felt justified in getting
away when the opportunity offered."

"I consider you acted rightly," said the captain. "A man cannot have
too nice a sense of honour; at the same time I believe you would have
gained great credit if you had brought them off. Much may depend on our
getting hold of them. However, we must do our best to capture the brig,
and prevent her delivering them to the French admiral. You deserve
credit as it is for making your escape, and I'm glad you got off without
breaking your parole. I should have regretted to find that you had done
that. Now call Mr Saunders, and--hillo! my lad, you're dripping wet!
Go and shift into dry clothes, or rather, if you're not wanted, turn
into your hammock and get some sleep. You have not had much of that
to-night, I conclude."

Getting a lantern from the sentry, I at once repaired to old
"Rough-and-Ready's" cabin.

"Mr Saunders," I shouted, "the captain wants to see you." He jumped up
in a moment wide awake--a good first lieutenant always sleeps with one
eye open.

"Why, where do you come from, youngster?" he asked, as, throwing his
night-cap on the pillow, he rapidly slipped into his clothes.

I very briefly told him while he finished dressing, which took him
scarcely a minute, and he then hastened to the captain's cabin, while I
gladly went below and had my marine roused up to get me out some dry
clothes from my chest and to sling my hammock. I inquired for Larry,
who I found had gone forward. In a short time he came aft, having also
got into dry clothes.

"Mighty glad we've got away from the brig, Mr Terence," he said; "but
still I'm as sorrowful as a pig in a gale of wind. The first thing the
men axed me for was my fiddle, and bedad I left it aboard the brig; so
if she gets away I'll never be after seeing it again."

"We must hope to take her," I said. "Depend on it the captain will keep
a look-out on her movements, and we shall then recover your fiddle,
though I'm afraid we shall not get hold of the despatches."

"Is it them bundle of papers in the drawer you're speaking of?" asked
Larry. "I was after thinking it would be as well to bring them away, in
case the captain should like to have a look at them, so I just put them
in my shirt before I slipped out of the cab