the most
precious thing aboard--that I will." Paul had got a grating ready, into
which he was prepared to spring should the catastrophe occur.

Still the _Hector_ floated. The stranger proved to be the _Snow Hawk_,
a letter of marque, belonging to Dartmouth, commanded by Captain John
Hill, from Lisbon, bound to Saint John's, Newfoundland. No sooner did
Captain Hill come on board and understand the miserable condition of the
_Hector_, than, without bargain or agreement, he at once offered to
render every assistance in his power. Some few of the wounded were at
once removed, but darkness prevented the others leaving the ship. He
therefore remained by them all night; but though the spirits of some
revived, it was a night of fearful anxiety to many, who believed that at
any moment the ship might go down. Paul was of opinion that she would
float, but he never let go of Billy, and kept a sharp eye on his grating
in case of accident. The next morning, as the men were told off into
the boats, only two hundred out of the three which had left the West
Indies were found to have survived. As most of the _Hector's_ boats
were damaged, it took a long time to remove the crew; and the greater
part of the day had passed before all, with their wounded Captain, were
on board the _Hawk_. Scarcely had the last boat left her than the
_Hector_ made one plunge and went down head first into the depths of the
ocean. So crowded was the _Hawk_, that Captain Hill threw overboard a
considerable quantity of his cargo to accommodate his passengers. The
wind held fair, but all hands were put on a very limited allowance of
provisions and water. The last cask of water was abroach on the very
day the _Hawk_ reached Saint John's. No man more deserved to have his
name held in remembrance than Captain Hill for his generous and humane
conduct on that occasion.

In time, Paul Pringle and his companions, with their young charge and
most of the survivors of the _Hector's_ crew, found their way to the
shores of Old England, by which time peace was proclaimed, and men began
to indulge in the fond fancy that wars were to cease for ever on the
globe.

CHAPTER NINE.

The year 1793 had commenced, the French had cut off the head of their
King, set up the red cap of freedom, proclaimed the age of reason,
pronounced liberty, equality, and fraternity to be the rule of the
world, and to illustrate their meaning were preparing the guillotines
and the