, their example being followed by
other persons, and before morning the whole of the shipwrecked seamen
were housed, including three or four officers, the only ones saved. The
poor fellows endeavoured by every way in their power to show how
grateful they were for the kindness they were receiving.

Captain Martin's first care was to write an account of the occurrence to
the Admiralty, stating what he had done, and expressing a hope that the
shipwrecked crew would be sent back as soon as possible to France.

By return of post, which was not, however, until the end of three or
four days, Captain Martin had the satisfaction of receiving a letter
from the king himself, highly approving of his conduct, and directing
that the Frenchmen should each receive as much clothing and money as
they required, and as soon as a cartel could be got ready, sent back to
Cherbourg or some other French port.

News of the battered state of the _Thisbe_ having been received at the
Admiralty, a frigate was ordered round to escort her into port, as she
was not in a position to put to sea safely by herself. The Frenchmen
having been received on board the two frigates, and a light northerly
breeze springing up, they sailed together for Plymouth. The pumps were
kept going on board the _Thisbe_ during the whole passage, when the
Frenchmen, at the instigation of Captain Turgot, volunteered to work
them.

Rayner had many a talk about Pierre with his old friend, who longed to
embrace his son, and was profuse in his expressions of gratitude for the
kindness he had received.

Directly he returned on board, Rayner went to Jack, whom he found going
on well. Captain Turgot, on hearing that Jack had been wounded, begged
permission to see him, and from that moment spent every instant he could
by his side, tending him as if he had been his own son.

It was curious to see the way the English sailors treated their French
guests who had so lately been engaged with them in a desperate fight.
Several were suffering from bruises and exposure on the wreck. These
were nursed with a tender care, as if they had been women or children,
the sailors carrying those about whose legs had been hurt, and feeding
two or three, whose hands or arms had been injured, just as if they had
been big babies.

The rest of the Frenchmen who had escaped injury quickly recovered their
spirits, and might have been seen toeing and heeling it at night to the
sound of Bob Rosin's fid