party, sword in hand,
a sight I never saw before, and never wish to see again! Thus you see
how it was, sir."

The commander-in-chief compressed his lips, until his features, and
indeed his whole form was a picture of desperate resolution, though his
face was as pale as death, and the muscles of his mouth twitched, in
spite of all his physical self-command.

"I understand you, sir," he said, in a voice that seemed to issue from
his chest; "you wish to say that Admiral Bluewater is killed."

"No, thank God! Sir Gervaise, not _quite_ as bad as that, though sadly
hurt; yes, indeed, very sadly hurt!"

Sir Gervaise Oakes groaned, and for a few minutes he leaned his head on
the hammock-cloths, veiling his face from the sight of men. Then he
raised his person erect, and said steadily--

"Run your top-sails to the mast-head, Captain Stowel, and round your
ship to. I will come on board of you."

An order was given to Denham to take room, when the Chloe came to the
wind on one tack and the Caesar on the other. This was contrary to rule,
as it increased the distance between the ships; but the vice-admiral was
impatient to be in his barge. In ten minutes he was mounting the Caesar's
side, and in two more he was in Bluewater's main-cabin. Geoffrey
Cleveland was seated by the table, with his face buried in his arms.
Touching his shoulder, the boy raised his head, and showed a face
covered with tears.

"How is he, boy?" demanded Sir Gervaise, hoarsely. "Do the surgeons give
any hopes?"

The midshipman shook his head, and then, as if the question renewed his
grief, he again buried his face in his arms. At this moment, the surgeon
of the ship came from the rear-admiral's state-room, and following the
commander-in-chief into the after-cabin, they had a long conference
together.

Minute after minute passed, and the Caesar and Chloe still lay with their
main-top-sails aback. At the end of half an hour, Denham wore round and
laid the head of his frigate in the proper direction. Ship after ship
came up, and went on to the northward, fast as her crippled state would
allow, yet no sign of movement was seen in the Caesar. Two sail had
appeared in the south-eastern board, and they, too, approached and
passed without bringing the vice-admiral even on deck. These ships
proved to be the Carnatic and her prize, le Scipion, which latter ship
had been intercepted and easily captured by the former. The steering of
M. de Vervillin to the sou