the other oar, and Johnny Darling, who raged at the thought
of being left behind, steering vaguely. And just as they rounded the
harbour-head, the long glassy sweep of the palpitating sea bore inward
and homeward the peaceful squadron, so wistfully watched for and so
dearly welcome.

CHAPTER XXIII

YOH-HEAVE-OH!

"Her condition was very bad, as bad as could be, without going straight
to the bottom," the Admiral said to the Rector that night, as they
smoked a pipe together; "and to the bottom she must have gone, if the
sea had got up, before we thrummed her. Honyman wanted to have her
brought inside the Head; but even if we could have got there, she would
ground at low water and fill with the tide. And what could we do with
all those prisoners? With our fresh hands at the pumps, we very soon
fetched the water out of her, and made her as tight as we could; and
I think they will manage to take her to Portsmouth. She has beautiful
lines. I never saw a smarter ship. How she came to the wind, with all
that water in her! The wind is all right for Portsmouth, and she will be
a fine addition to the Navy."

"But what is become of the other vessel, craft, corvette, or whatever
you call her? You say that she is scarcely hurt at all. And if she gets
off the White Pig's back in the night, she may come up and bombard us.
Not that I am afraid; but my wife is nervous, and the Rectory faces
the sea so much. If you have ordered away the Leda, which seems to have
conquered both of them, the least you can do is to keep Captain Stubbard
under arms all night in his battery."

"I have a great mind to do so; it would be a good idea, for he was very
much inclined to cut up rough to-day. But he never would forgive me, he
is such a hog at hammock--as we used to say, until we grew too elegant.
And he knows that the Blonde has hauled down her colours, and Scudamore
is now prize-captain. I have sent away most of her crew in the Leda, and
I am not at all sure that we ought not to blow her up. In the end, we
shall have to do so, no doubt; for nothing larger than a smack has ever
got off that sand, and floated. But let our young friend try; let him
have a fair trial. He has the stuff of a very fine seaman in him. And if
he should succeed, it would be scored with a long leg for him. Halloa!
Why, I thought the girls were fast asleep long ago!"

"As if we could sleep, papa, with this upon our minds!" Dolly waved an
open letter in the air, and