ba, effecting a few small
captures, but none of importance. Finally she fell in with three French
frigates and was chased for two days, but succeeded in giving her pursuers
the slip by running between two small islands under cover of night. The
passage was very shallow, and the Frenchmen were unable to follow, and
before they could make a circuit of the islands _L'Agile_ was out of
sight. When the cutter at length returned to Jamaica the admiral decided
to lay her up for a time, and the crew was broken up and retransferred to
the vessels to which they belonged.

Will was greeted with enthusiasm when he rejoined the _Hawke_.

"You certainly have singular luck, Gilmore," said Latham, who was the
_Hawke's_ master's mate. "Here we have been cruising and cruising, till we
are sick of the sight of islands, without picking up a prize of
importance, while you have been your own master, and have made a fortune.
And now, just as there is a rumour that we are to go home you rejoin."

A few weeks after this conversation the _Hawke_ received orders to sail
for Portsmouth, and after a long and wearisome voyage arrived home late in
the summer of the year 1793.

CHAPTER X

BACK AT SCARCOMBE

The news of their destination had created great satisfaction among the
crew, as there was little honour or prize-money to be gained, and the
vessel had been for some time incessantly engaged in hunting for foes that
were never found. Not the least pleased was Will. He had left England a
friendless ship's-boy; he returned home a midshipman, with a most
creditable record, and with a fortune that, when he left the service,
would enable him to live in more than comfort.

On arriving at Portsmouth the crew were at once paid off, and Will was
appointed to the _Tartar_, a thirty-four gun frigate. On hearing the name
of the ship, Dimchurch and Tom Stevens at once volunteered. They were
given a fortnight's leave; so Will, with Tom Stevens, determined to take a
run up to Scarcombe, and the same day took coach to London. Dimchurch said
he should spend his time in Portsmouth, as there was no one up in the
north he cared to see, especially as it would take eight days out of his
fortnight's leave to go to his native place and back.

On the fourth day after leaving London the two travellers reached
Scarborough. Tom Stevens started at once, with his kit on a stick, to walk
to the villa