have your
history."

I commenced, and told him all that the reader is now acquainted with.
Dinner broke off my narrative, and as soon as it was over I resumed
it. When I had finished, he expressed his astonishment, and asked many
questions. Among others he said, "And that little wretch Peleg, the
captain of the Transcendant's son, is he on board?"

"I have not seen him," replied I, "and therefore presume that he was
not able to move, and went down in the schooner." Which was the case.

"You have indeed told me a strange tale," said Philip, "and you have
had some extraordinary escapes. You must have a charmed life, and you
appear to have been preserved to prove that Amy's persuasion of your
being still alive was just and well-founded; and now it is my turn to
talk, and yours to listen. When I left you as lieutenant of Captain
Levee's schooner, we very shortly afterwards had an action with a
Spanish vessel of very superior force, for she mounted thirty guns.
Having no chance with her, from her superior weight of metal, we threw
ourselves on her bow and boarded. The Spaniards did not relish this
kind of close fighting, and gave us immediate possession of their
deck. Captain Levee, when he brought in his prize, was appointed to a
frigate of thirty-six guns, and I followed him as his first
lieutenant. We had another combat with a vessel of equal force, in
which we were the victors, and I was sent in the prize. Captain Levee
wrote very kindly in my behalf, and I was made a captain, and given
the command of a small brig. But let me first finish with Captain
Levee. He captured a galleon, which gave him a large fortune, and he
then gave up the command of his ship, and went on shore, telling me in
a letter that he had hitherto squandered away all his money, but now
that he had got so much, he intended to keep it. He has done so, for
he has purchased a large landed property, is married, and I believe,
is very happy."

"He deserves it," replied I; "and long may he be so."

"Well, to continue. I was sent out on this station, and having
information that the vessel which you are now on board of was at
anchor in a bay close to the Havannah, I ran in and reconnoitred. She
hoisted Spanish colours, and I did the same. It fell calm, and I lay
about four miles outside. I was mistaken for another Spanish vessel,
and the captain of this vessel, or, to speak correctly, the Spanish
captain of the Spanish brig, came out to see me, and did