was an immediate outcry from below, quickly followed by savage bangs
upon the underside of the hatch; but, taking no notice of these
manifestations, the fellow rushed aft and at once assisted me to place
Miss Onslow in the gig. Then, springing to the tackle falls, we lowered
the boat smartly the short remaining distance to the water, and,
springing into her, unhooked the tackles and shoved clear of the brig.
Then, still working for our lives, we stepped the mast, set the sails,
and headed the boat to the northward. Nor were we much too quick; for
we had scarcely placed a cable's length between us and the brig when we
heard a crash aboard her, and the next instant we saw the fellows rising
out of the forecastle and rushing aft. Of course they at once caught
sight of us, and promptly blazed away with their pistols at us; but none
of the bullets came anywhere near. Then they began to shout
imprecations at us, and prayers to us to return; but we remained equally
deaf to both, and in a few minutes--the boat slipping nimbly along
through the water--we were out of hearing of them, and congratulating
ourselves and each other upon our good luck in having succeeded in so
neatly effecting our escape without being obliged to fight for the
possession of the boat.

I headed north, with the intention of making Staten Island if possible;
but we had scarcely been under way two hours when Harry, who was
forward, keeping a lookout, sighted a sail dead to windward, heading our
way, and we at once so manoeuvred the boat as to intercept her. She
came bowling down toward us, hand over hand, and when she was within
about three miles of us I made her out to be a frigate. She was coming
so directly for us that it was impossible for us to miss each other, and
within half an hour of the moment when we first discovered her I had the
supreme satisfaction of assisting Florence up the side of Her Britannic
Majesty's ship _Ariadne_, commanded by my former shipmate and very good
friend Harry Curtis; while half an hour later the five men whom I had
left aboard the brig were taken off her, and safely lodged in irons on
the _Ariadne's_ lower deck. Of the excitement that ensued upon our
rescue I have no space to dwell; suffice it to say that the _Marie
Renaud_ had duly arrived in Table Bay, and had there reported the act of
piracy of which she had been the victim, my letter being at the same
time placed in the hands of the authorities, who, after a pr