a happy ship."

"Just one word, sir, with the rest and we'll tell you," said Paul.

"As many as you like," said the Captain; and he and his lieutenant
stepped aside.

Scarcely a minute had passed before Paul Pringle came up to him.

"We'll all join you, sir, Billy and all," said he; "and I suppose, sir,
you'll not object to take Sam Smatch in? He always goes with us; and
though he's not wanted to nurse Billy now, there isn't a better hand
with his fiddle to be found anywhere. He might get a good living on
shore--that he might, sir; but he'd rather stick by us, as he's always
done, in spite of all the ups and downs of a life at sea, sir."

"Sam Smatch? Of course we'll have him!" said the Captain, not trying to
conceal how highly pleased he was at getting so fine a haul of good men
at one time for his ship. "And now I wish you to accompany Mr Brine on
board at once and enter. When it's known that we have a fair number of
good men, others will join; and the faster we man the ship, the sooner
we shall get to sea and be at the enemy."

A little more conversation passed. Paul and his companions went on
board and entered; and Mr Brine, soon convinced that they might be
trusted on shore, allowed them to go. They employed their time so well
in singing the praises of their new Captain, that in a week or two the
_Ruby_ was fully manned. In those days the crew themselves were chiefly
employed in fitting the ship for sea, and as they all worked with a
will, in a very short time longer she had all her stores and provisions
on board, and was ready to go out to Spithead. The remainder of the
officers had joined; Blue Peter was hoisted, and, with a fair breeze,
she stood out of Portsmouth Harbour. In two days more her powder was on
board, and under all sail she was running out at the Needle Passage.

The frigate was on the home station; but there was plenty of work for
her. The enemy's cruisers were very active; and they had some fine fast
frigates, which committed a great deal of mischief among the merchant
shipping, and carried off numbers of prizes.

Captain Garland determined to capture one or more of these, if he could,
without delay. His ship soon showed her fast-sailing qualities by
making prizes of a number of small fry, in the shape of French coasters,
"_chasse-marees_," and two or three larger merchantmen, which were sent
into either Plymouth or Portsmouth to be disposed of. This sort of
work, however, did