esult was that we had a surprisingly good meal, and very refreshing
it proved, though I was in terrible pain all the time, and kept on
wondering whether I ought to eat and drink.

The lieutenant from the frigate kept getting up and going on deck to
listen to the firing, which was very heavy in the distance, though
nothing could be seen, and he exclaimed once against the great headland,
the Ram's Nose, which shut off the view.

"It's so hard," he said; "here have I been longing for an engagement,
and the first one that turns up I am away from my ship, and cannot even
see the fun."

I saw my father, who was wincing with pain, smile at the lieutenant's
idea of fun.

"Why, you are safer here," he said.

"Safer!" exclaimed the lieutenant contemptuously. "Now, Captain Duncan,
would you have liked it when you were on active service?"

"That I certainly should not, sir."

"Ah, well," said the lieutenant, "I suppose I must be contented with our
little prize here. This Gualtiere has long been wanted. A most
successful smuggler, sir."

The conversation was ceasing to interest me, so I went on deck, when the
middy came up to me directly from where he was standing listening to the
firing.

I looked at him with the eyes of admiration, for his uniform, dirk, and
pistols gave him a warlike aspect, and besides he was in temporary
command of the sturdy Jacks who were overawing the smuggler's men.

"Won't you sit down?" he said, turning up a little keg.

I sank upon the seat with a sigh, for I felt weak.

"Ah! You are a lucky fellow," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Why? To be in a fight last night and get wounded."

"Oh!" I exclaimed laughing.

"Ah, you may laugh!" he said. "I call it first rate. You're only a
landsman, and get all that luck. It's of no use to you. Why, if it had
been me, of course I am too young for promotion, but it would have been
remembered by and by. I say, tell us all about it."

I told him, and to my surprise I found before long that all the sailors
were listening intently.

"Ah!" exclaimed the middy as I finished; "don't I wish we had all been
there."

"And don't I wish you had all been there!" I said dolefully; "our place
is regularly wrecked."

"Never mind," cried the middy, shaking my hand. "They ar'n't getting
much by it. Hark! How our old girl is pounding away at 'em. I'll be
bound to say that the spars and planks are flying, and--oh, don't I wish
I were there!"