rm, issuing his orders in an
authoritative tone. At last his eye fell upon Dick, who was engaged in
some work which it appeared he was not doing according to the
midshipman's notion of the way it ought to be done.

"What are you about there, you lubberly hound?" he shouted out,
springing up to him with a rope's end. Dick leaped out of his way, and
the uplifted rope fell on the back of another man, who turned round with
a look of no little astonishment.

"I beg pardon, sir, but you hit somewhat hard," said the man. "I'll
splice this here rope for the lad, for if he's not quite up to it, he
knows how to use his cutlass, at any rate. If it hadn't been for him,
our commander would be among those poor fellows who have lost the number
of their mess in this here fight."

"Belay the slack of your jaw, fellow!" exclaimed Voules, turning away.

The man thrust his tongue into his cheek as he caught the eye of another
seaman standing near him.

Dick kept out of the midshipman's way as much as he could, though he
continued actively engaged as before. His spirits rose with the feeling
that he was at liberty, and that he had gained Lieutenant Mason's good
opinion. "I wish that I had been allowed to remain on board the cutter.
I could serve under her commander, and do my duty. But when I get on
board the frigate, all will be changed, I fear," he said to himself;
"however, I must not think about that. I must do my duty as well as I
can now, and maybe he'll speak a word for me, though I have little to
expect from such fellows as Mr Voules and his friend."

The breeze continued, The Start was passed, the Eddystone light came in
sight. No one on board the vessels turned in. The whole crew on board
the lugger could only just manage her sails, while that of the cutter
were required to keep a watch on the prisoners. The two vessels kept
close together, Voules every now and then hailing the cutter, to learn
if all was right on board her. The lugger had twice to shorten sail, or
she would have run ahead. Dick, as he walked forward, kept his eye on
the cutter. The idea had come into his head that the Frenchmen might
rise on their captors. He had formed a higher estimate of their courage
than had most of his shipmates. The lugger was now about twenty fathoms
off on the cutter's quarter. Voules, who had become very hungry,
telling the man at the helm to keep the vessel as she was going, dived
below, in the hopes of finding s