ind themselves free! As they drew
off the land, the breeze freshened, the punt was cast adrift, and sail
was made; just then there were lights seen on the beach; shouts were
heard. There was a grating sound as of a boat being launched. They
were about to be pursued, there could be no doubt about that. Still
sharp eyes would be required to see them. Impelled by wind and oars the
boat stood out to the westward.

The wind was fair, the sea was smooth. Of course in the darkness it was
impossible to select the best boat, but they had happily hit upon one
which at all events seemed a fine little craft, and they hoped she might
prove the fastest. The seamen bent their backs to the oars with right
good will; the water hissed and bubbled under the bows.

"The mounseers must be in a precious hurry to catch us, if they do catch
us," exclaimed Job Truefitt. "Give way, mates: if we can't keep ahead
of a crew of frog-eaters, we desarves to be caught and shut up in the
darkest prison in the land, without e'er a quid o' baccy to chaw, or a
glass o' grog to freshen our nip."

The men, however, required no inducement to exert themselves to the
utmost.

"Avast pulling!" exclaimed Mr Calder, after they had made good three
miles or more from the harbour.

There was no sound of oars. The Frenchmen, it was supposed, had thought
the pursuit useless, and had given it up. Still daylight must find them
far away from the coast, and spell and spell throughout the night the
undaunted seamen laboured at their oars.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

A SAIL IN SIGHT--A GALE COMES ON--REACH THE FRIGATE--RONALD REJOINS THE
"THISBE"--MADE LIEUTENANT.

When morning dawned, and hunger reminded the escaped prisoners that it
was time for breakfast, they looked about and discovered in the forepeak
a supply of water and provisions, and what was of most consequence, a
compass. She was evidently, then, the very craft the Gerardins had
intended for their use.

"I hope they won't get into a scrape for what they have done for us,"
observed Ronald. "Though he is an odd fish in some respects, I liked
that fellow, Alfonse Gerardin; and from the glimpse I got of his father,
I should say he is first-rate."

The health of their friends was therefore drunk in some very fair
claret, which was found among the stores, and never has a merrier party
floated in an open boat out in the Atlantic.

Two days passed, and Mr Calder calculated that they were well into t