ting him out as he walked the
deck.

"That is Mr Ashurst, a sprig of nobility of some sort," was the answer.
"Take care you don't get foul of him. He carries on with a pretty high
hand when he has the chance, especially if you go away with him in a
boat, or he is in command on any occasion."

Shortly afterwards a squall was seen coming up, and the various
necessary orders were issued for the shortening of sail. The midshipmen
hurried to their posts, repeating the orders they had received. Mr
Ashurst came forward, shouting out, as he did so, to the men.

"Yes, those are the very same tones," thought Owen, and he recognised
the naval officer who, with his brother, had been thrown out of their
carriage, and whom he had assisted in getting to rights again. "His
brother called him Reginald. If this midshipman's name is the same I
shall have no doubt about the matter."

Owen had not hitherto been stationed aloft, but one of the other boys
was on the sick list.

"What are you doing on deck here, you idle young rascal?" exclaimed Mr
Ashurst. "Quick, up the rigging and help to hand the fore royal."

Owen obeyed, and flew up aloft. The lighter sails were quickly handed.
The topsails were reefed, and the crew called down; the frigate stood on
her proper course. The way Mr Ashurst addressed Owen convinced him
that he was the person he supposed.

"I will take care not to give him any cause of offence, for he is
evidently not an amiable person," thought Owen.

A few minutes afterwards the look-out at the masthead shouted--

"A sail on the weather bow!"

One of the officers immediately went aloft. On his return the bearings
of the stranger were taken. She was a large ship, standing in for the
land.

The frigate was immediately put about. The squall having blown over,
all sail was made in chase. Many surmises were expressed as to what she
was, but it was a general opinion that she was a French frigate.

"If she is, we shall have a fight, and take her too," cried one of the
men near whom Owen was standing.

"Little doubt about that, mates," observed another.

Such were the expressions uttered by the crew. Owen felt as eager as
any one. He had not come to sea to fight, but he knew that even on
board the "Druid" they might have fallen in with an enemy and have had
to defend themselves.

"Is there any chance of her getting away, Mr Hartley?" asked Nat, who
never forgot their relative positions, though Owen