on as he was sufficiently recovered he was sent for to
the captain's cabin.

"And who are you, boy, and whence do you come?" the captain asked. "Do
you belong to the _Chasse Maree_, which we chased in the night?"

The officer spoke in French, supposing that Harry had fallen overboard
from that craft.

"I am English, sir," Harry said, "and escaped from a lugger which was
run down by the French craft just as you were firing at her."

"I thought," exclaimed the captain, "that my eyes had not been wrong.
I was sure that I saw a small fishing-boat close to the _Chasse
Maree_. We lost sight of her when a cloud came over the moon, and
thought we must have been mistaken. How came you there in an English
fishing-boat?"

Harry modestly told the story, and produced the dispatch-box.

"This is important news indeed," the officer said, "and your conduct
has been in every way most gallant. What is your name, lad?"

"Harry Langley," he replied. "I am an apprentice on board the Indiaman
_Dundas Castle_, and was to have sailed this week in the convoy for
the West Indies."

"You will not be able to do that now," the captain said. "This is most
important. However, the steward will take charge of you, and I will
talk to you again presently."

The steward was called, and was told to put Harry into a cot slung for
him, and to give him a bowl of warm soup; and in a few minutes the lad
was asleep.

The _Viper_ shortly afterwards hauled her wind, and ran down to a
consort who was keeping watch with her over the mouth of the Loire.
The captain repaired on board the other ship, whose commander was his
senior officer, and a consultation was held between them, after which
the _Viper_ was again got under sail and shaped her course for
Portsmouth.

The wind was fair, and the next morning the _Viper_ passed through
the Needles, and soon afterwards anchored at Spithead. Here a large
number of men-of-war and frigates were at anchor, and above two of the
largest floated the flags of admirals. The _Viper_ had made her signal
as she came in sight of the fleet, and a reply was instantly run up
from the masthead of the admiral's ship, directing the captain to come
on board immediately the anchor was dropped. The moment this was done
the captain's gig was lowered, and calling to Harry to follow him the
captain took his seat in the stern-sheets, and rowed for the admiral's
ship. Directing the lad to remain on deck, the captain at once entered
th