with all hands.
A boat was instantly lowered, and Mr Merton was brought on board with
the youngster he had rescued, both of them nearly exhausted. The
midshipman was carried into the captain's cabin. Mr Merton, when he
had shifted his wet things, returned on deck to his duty. The captain,
however, immediately sent for him, and told him that he could not find
words to express his gratitude. Mr Merton thanked him, and said that
he had merely done his duty, and did not consider which of the
midshipmen it was he was going to try to save.

"Well, you have prevented a mother's heart from being wrung with agony,
and a noble house from going into mourning," said the captain. "You
deserve to be rewarded." Mr Merton thanked him, and went about his
duty, thinking little more of the matter.

Now, although seamen know how to value a man who has leaped overboard,
at the risk of his own life, to save a fellow-creature from drowning,
they do not make much fuss about it, because most of them would be ready
to do the same thing themselves. Still, it was easy to see that Joe
Merton, as he was called by the ship's company, was raised yet higher in
their estimation.

After we had been at sea some time we stood away to the westward. One
forenoon, a shout from the masthead announced a sail in sight.

"Where away?" asked the officer of the watch.

"On the weather bow," was the answer. "There are two--three--four--the
whole horizon is studded with them," cried the look-out.

The officers were pretty quickly aloft to see what the strangers could
be, for some thought perhaps it was an enemy's fleet. As they drew
near, however, they were pronounced to be merchantmen, and before long
we ascertained by their signals that they were part of a homeward-bound
West India convoy, which had been separated in a gale of wind, off the
banks of Newfoundland, from the ships of war in charge of them. Finding
that they were totally unprotected, our captain made up his mind that it
was his duty to see them safe into port, and signalling to them to keep
together and put themselves under his orders, he invited some of the
masters of the vessels near him to come on board to give him the news.
Among other things, he learned that a fast-sailing French privateer had
been hovering about them for some time, and had already picked off two,
if not more, of their number, both heavily laden and valuable ships
belonging to London; and the masters were of opini