he storehouse, got hold of a sheet and an oar, and
a white flag was soon hoisted on the top of the cliff. Five minutes
later two gigs were seen rowing off from the frigate. Ralph and
Jacques took their places on the battery. When the boats reached the
mouth of the narrow entrance the order was given for the men to lay on
their oars. Ralph shouted at the top of his voice:

"You can come on, sir! We are the only two here!"

The order was given to row on, and Ralph and his companion at once
went down to meet them at the end of the harbor. The captain himself
was in the stern of his own gig, while a young lieutenant held the
lines in the other boat.

"Who are you? the captain asked, as he stepped ashore on the little
wharf. You are English by your speech."

"I am English, sir. I was on board a fishing boat in the channel when
we were run down by one of those privateers in the dark. I believe the
fisherman with me was drowned, but I clung to the bobstay and was got
on board. She was on her way out here and had no opportunity of
landing me. She only arrived here two days before you came up."

"You are not a fisherman?" the captain said abruptly.

"No, sir; my mother is living at Dover, and I was at school there. I
lost my father, who was an architect, some years ago."

"And who is this who is with you?"

"He is a sailor in the brig I came out in, and has been extremely kind
to me during the voyage, and kept the others from persecuting me."

"How is it he is left behind?" the captain asked.

"He was round the other side of the island watching the schooner,"
Ralph replied, "and the others sailed away without him;" for Ralph had
agreed with Jacques that it was better to say nothing about the
signalling.

"Have you done any fighting since you were on board the privateer?"
the captain asked sternly.

"No, sir. We have only exchanged shots with one ship since we sailed.
She fired one broadside and the privateer drew off a good deal
damaged. Another was surprised by night, but I took no part in it. I
don't know what she was laden with or what was her name."

"Well, lad, your story sounds truthful, and will, of course, be
inquired into when we get to England. As to this man, he is of course
a prisoner."

"I hope not, sir," Ralph pleaded. "He has not been taken with arms in
his hands, and is, in fact, a castaway mariner."

The captain's face relaxed into a smile. "I see you are a sort of sea
lawyer. Well, we shall s