chman, and played the violin. He would have
fiddled all day long, for he preferred it to anything else; but he could
not get any one to dance to him except Le Grande, who, as soon as he had
washed up his pots and kettles, came on deck, and began capering about
to Jacques' tunes in the most curious fashion possible.

The rest of us had plenty to do in getting the brig into order, and
occasionally taking a spell at the pumps, for she leaked more than was
pleasant. We tried to discover where the water came in, but could not
succeed. However, as the leak was not serious it did not trouble us
much.

As we were so small a crew, we were divided into only two watches. Mr
Harvey had one and gave me charge of the other, at which I felt pleased,
for it showed that he placed confidence in me. I understood navigation,
which none of the other men did, and I had a right to consider myself a
good seaman.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

WE ARE CHASED BY A LARGE VESSEL--OVERTAKEN BY A STORM--A STERN CHASE--
THE STRANGER IS DISMASTED--WE ARE IN A DANGEROUS POSITION--LOSS OF OUR
CREW--THE GALE MODERATES--THE BRIG GIVES SIGNS OF SINKING--WE SET ABOUT
BUILDING A RAFT--AN UNEXPECTED APPEARANCE--JACQUES AND HIS FIDDLE--THE
RAFT COMPLETED AND LAUNCHED--THE FIRST NIGHT--DICK AND I COMPARE NOTES--
TROUBLED SLEEP--A DREADFUL REALITY--MY COMPANIONS SWEPT OVERBOARD--
CLINGING ON FOR LIFE.

Two days had passed by since we left the frigate. It was my middle
watch below, and I fancied that the greater part of it had passed by
when I heard Mr Harvey's voice shouting, "All hands on deck, and make
sail."

I was on my feet in a moment, and looking astern as I came up, I saw
through the gloom of night a large vessel to the southward, apparently
standing to the eastward, while a smaller one, which I took to be the
_Flore_, had hauled her wind, and was steering west.

"She is taking care of number one," observed Dick to me, as we together
went aloft to loose the topgallant sails, for, like a careful officer,
being short-handed, Mr Harvey had furled them at sundown. We then
rigged out studden sail booms, hoping, should the stranger not have
perceived us, to get a good distance before daylight. Soon after the
first streaks of dawn appeared in the eastern sky, we saw her alter her
course in pursuit of us. We had, however, got a good start, and, unless
the wind fell, we might still hope to escape her.

At first it was doubtful whether she would foll