ng the deck with his charge. It was the
last look she ever took of the infant she had nursed with almost a
mother's care. Her husband was sent for. In a short time she was
raving, and before that hour the next day both she and Betty were no
longer among the living. Their loss was severely felt, not only by
their husbands, but by all the crew. They and forty of the men were
committed to the deep before the termination of the passage.

At last the _Terrible_ reached Gros Islet Bay, in the Island of Saint
Lucia, that island having been captured by the English from the French.
In a short time a considerable fleet collected there, under Admiral Sir
George Rodney and Rear-Admiral Hyde Parker. Still the fever continued
on board the _Terrible_ and several other ships.

"Nothing but the fire of the enemy will cure us, Sir George, I fear,"
observed Captain Penrose when paying a visit one day on board the
flagship.

"Then, my dear Penrose, I hope that we shall not have long to wait, for
they are collecting in force, I hear, round the Island of Martinique;
and the moment the fleet is ready for sea, we'll go out and have a brush
with them," was the Admiral's answer.

This news was received with joy by every man in the fleet, and all
exerted themselves more than ever to hasten its equipment. The Captain
had some idea of leaving little Billy on shore, but both Freeborn and
Pringle begged so hard that he might be allowed to remain that the
Captain gave up the point.

"I don't know how long I may be with the little chap," observed poor
Will. "It would break my heart to be separated from him; and if we go
into action, we'll stow him away safe in the hold, and he'll be better
off there than among foreign strangers on shore who don't care a bit for
him."

There was much truth in this remark, and so little True Blue still
continued under charge of his rough-looking protectors. It is
extraordinary how well and tenderly they managed to nurse him and feed
him, and how carefully they washed him and put on his tiny garments.
Paul Pringle was even a greater adept than his own father; and more than
once the Captain could scarcely refrain from laughing as he saw the big,
huge-whiskered quartermaster in a side cabin, seated on one bucket, with
another full of salt water before him, an apron, made out of a piece of
canvas, round his waist, and a large sponge, with a piece of soap in his
hand, washing away at the little fellow. The ba