went back with him, having nowhere else to go.

Captain Martin lost no time in carrying out the wishes of the kind king.
A brig was chartered as a cartel, on board of which the Frenchmen were
at once sent. Rayner was not aware that Mr Saltwell had obtained
permission for Pierre to go back with his father, and was much surprised
on being directed to go to Mrs Crofton's, and to escort him on board
the brig.

Pierre seemed scarcely to know whether to laugh or cry at regaining his
liberty as he took leave of his kind hostess and her daughter; but his
desire to see his mother and sister and la belle France finally overcame
his regret at parting from them, and he quickly got ready to set off.

"We shall be happy to see you as soon as you can come again, Mr
Rayner," said Mrs Crofton.

"Oh yes," added Mary, in a sweet voice, with a smile, which made our
hero at once promise that he would lose no opportunity of paying them a
visit. Rayner's first duty was to see Captain Turgot and Pierre on
board the cartel. They embraced him with tears in their eyes as they
wished him farewell, and many of the grateful Frenchmen gathered round
him, several expressing their hopes that France and England would soon
make up their quarrel.

"What it's all about, ma foi, is more than I or any of us can tell,"
exclaimed a boatswain's mate, wringing Rayner's hand, which all were
eager to grasp. "We are carried on board ship and told to fight, and so
we fight--more fools we! If we were wise, we should navigate our
merchant vessels, or go fishing, or stay at home and cultivate our
fields and gardens. We all hope that there'll be peace when we next
meet, messieurs."

Many others echoed the sentiment, and cheered Rayner, who, after he had
sent many kind messages to Madame Turgot and Jeannette, hurried down the
side and returned on board the frigate.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

THE SHIP ON FIRE.

Jack, with the rest of those who had been wounded, had been sent to the
hospital. Rayner the next day obtained leave to visit him. He was
sorry for Tom, who was thus left very much to his own resources, and he
tried to find an opportunity of speaking a kind word to his former
companion; but Tom, as before, sulkily kept aloof, so that he was
compelled to leave him to himself. He was very sorry, soon after, to
see him being led along the deck by the master-at-arms. Tom looked
dreadfully downcast and frightened.

Rayner inquired what he had been