horrible, how did
you come in this state?"

"State, sir?" said Mark, who had for the moment forgotten his injuries.

"My dear boy, yes; why, you haven't a bit of hair on face or head, and
you're black as a negro."

"I'd forgotten, sir. It was the powder."

"Powder! an explosion?"

"Yes, sir; no, sir."

"Mr Vandean," cried the lieutenant, "do you want to aggravate me?"

"No, sir," cried Mark; and he told him hastily what had taken place.

"Lucky for you that you did stop the train," cried the lieutenant; "why,
my good sir, it was too desperate; not one of you would have been left
alive. But where is Mr Russell?"

"In the cabin, sir, wounded."

"Tut--tut--tut! Signal for the surgeon, Mr Howlett," he cried; and Bob
went off, while the lieutenant looked sharply around.

"Where are the rest of your men?"

"Dance and Grote are in the other schooner we took, sir."

"Another? Well, this is a curious state of affairs. You are left in
charge of a prize--"

"Yes, sir, and we lost her and took her again, and then captured a
second prize. Dance and Grote have charge of her. Haven't you seen
her, sir?"

"No--yes. Of course, that is the vessel we sighted just before we
attacked here to-day. But the other three men?"

"Don't know, sir, unless they are prisoners in the forecastle."

"Go and see, my lads," cried the lieutenant; and, to the delight of
their messmates, the others were set free from where they had been
imprisoned.

"Then we are all accounted for," said Mark, holding his hand to his
burning face, "But where are the Yankees, sir?"

"Oh, they performed their old manoeuvre," said the lieutenant, bitterly;
"as soon as we set off from the _Nautilus_ to board, they took to the
boat they had ready trailing alongside, and made for the shore, where I
hope the niggers'll catch 'em and turn 'em into slaves. Hah, here comes
Mr Whitney! Poor Russell! has he been long like this?"

"Yes, sir; all the time since the Yankees came off in their boat and
surprised us."

"Then you--you--Why, Mr Vandean, you don't mean to say you've been in
command all the time?"

"Yes, sir," said Mark, modestly. "Fillot has been my first lieutenant."

"Humph! the forecastle joker, eh?" said Mr Staples, grimly.

"No, sir, there has been no joking," said Mark. "It has been too
serious for that."

"So I should suppose, my lad. Hah, Whitney, here's work for you. Poor
Russell again. Been insensible for days."

"And