e. He is gentlemanly and well-informed, and I have no doubt
that he is, as he states, a gentleman by birth."

"Pretenders often assume good manners when they have an object in doing
so," answered Ashurst, in a scornful tone; "he appeared as a ship's boy,
and I treated him as such, and made him do his duty."

"You may have bullied others, but you have shown a special ill-feeling
towards this lad," answered Mr Leigh, feeling annoyed at the manner in
which the midshipman spoke. "In future I beg that you will treat him as
an equal."

"An equal, indeed! Do you forget, Mr Leigh, that I am the son of a
nobleman, and that he is or was till a few minutes ago, merely a ship's
boy!" exclaimed the midshipman, in a voice which made Mr Leigh almost
smile.

"Had you said that in your berth, you would have been laughed at by all
your messmates," observed Mr Leigh, "Come, come, I cannot listen to
such nonsense. While you remain on board the prize, treat him as I
desire, and when we rejoin the `Sylvia' Captain Stanhope will see to
it." Ashurst walked away, muttering something which Mr Leigh did not
hear. All day long the weather continued the same as before, and night
came on without any signs of an abatement of the gale. The British crew
were well-nigh worn-out. Although the Frenchmen were now compelled to
labour at the pumps, the English took a spell. They had, besides, to
watch the prisoners, and be always on deck ready to let go the anchor
and make sail. Not until morning did the wind begin to fall, although
the sea appeared as heavy as ever. It burst forth again and blew with
greater fury than before. Suddenly the cry arose--

"The cable has parted!"

"Let go the best bower," cried Lieutenant Leigh.

In an instant the stoppers were cut, and the cable ran at a rapid rate,
setting the hawse hole on fire. The danger had been seen, and men stood
ready with buckets of water to heave over it. The cable ran out to its
full range.

"Does the anchor hold, Stewart?" asked the lieutenant.

"Yes, sir, it holds," answered the master's mate.

"Thank Heaven!" ejaculated Mr Leigh.

Before the fresh anchor brought up the ship, she had drifted much nearer
the rocks. Should this cable part her destruction was inevitable.

The gale seemed to have exhausted itself by its last effort, and the
wind now rapidly fell. Still the breakers burst with the same fury as
before under the stern. More anxiously than ever every one on b