, leaving his first officer in command. Roger was also glad
to turn in, for he could scarcely keep his eyes open. He might have
been asleep for about a couple of hours, when he was awakened by hearing
two loud crashes in rapid succession. He sprang up on deck to discover,
to his dismay, that both mainmast and foremast were gone by the board.
The Captain was already there issuing his orders to clear the wreck, and
to prevent the butts of the masts striking the sides of the ship.
Never, perhaps, before had the _Benbow_ frigate been in greater peril,
and it was more difficult than ever to keep her off the shoals. The
long dark night was coming on, the masts were pounding away against the
sides, having been cut adrift. An effort was made to rig a spar on the
stump of the foremast, so as to keep steerage-way on the ship, the
Captain having resolved to steer for the Scheldt, in which river he
hoped to find safe anchorage. Owing to the way the ship was tumbling
about, some hours passed, however, before the jury-mast could be rigged
and sail set on it. The ship was then kept as much as possible to the
westward, and Captain Benbow expressed a hope that he should be able to
reach the mouth of the river. Before the morning came the wind had
dropped considerably, and had shifted to the southward, whereon the
ship's head was immediately turned in the direction of the Thames. She
had gone but a short distance, when a sail, which had been sighted at
daylight coming from the northward, approached under Dutch colours.

"Mynheers and I have always been friendly, and if yonder vessel has any
spars on board, I doubt not that her Captain will gladly supply us with
anything we want."

The stranger soon drew near, and Captain Benbow having explained his
wants, which were indeed very evident, the Dutch Captain at once offered
not only to furnish him with spars, but, it being almost calm, to send
some of his crew on board to assist in getting them set up. The offer
was too good to be refused. The stranger was the _Elephant_, Captain
Coopman, who, knowing Captain Benbow by reputation, said that he was
delighted to be of service to him. While the two ships lay close
alongside each other, their crews busily engaged with the work in hand,
another ship was approaching, which was not discovered till she was a
couple of miles or so off. Captain Coopman, on observing her, expressed
his astonishment and annoyance.

"She is French," he exc