asing so long have made
straight for France, so that we shall have no more trouble with them.
The other brig, which only arrived two days before we chased the
others in here, has, it is believed, also gone off. So we shan't have
done so badly; for we can report that we have found out and destroyed
their nest here, and I fancy from what my lieutenant says we have made
a very valuable capture, enough to give us all a round sum in
prize-money."

"That will be some consolation," the other laughed; "but I would give
my share of it if I could but have come up with and engaged those
rascally craft I have been hunting all over the islands for these last
two years. Whom have we got here--two prisoners?"

"Well, I hardly know whether they can be called prisoners. One is an
English lad who was in a boat they run down in the channel, and who, I
dare say, they were glad to get rid of. It seems that he is a
gentleman's son, and his story is clear enough. The other belongs to
the brig I chased, which it seems only arrived here two days ago. The
young fellow says that he has been particularly kind to him, and has
begged me to regard him in the light of a castaway sailor, seeing that
he was found here unarmed and away from his ship. I think there is
something in his plea; and as there is no credit or glory to be
obtained from handing over one prisoner, I consider that under the
circumstances we shall be justified in letting him go ashore quietly
and in saying nothing about it. At one time the man was a prisoner of
war in England and has picked up our language, so I dare say he will
be able to manage to find his way home without difficulty."

"What are you thinking of doing with all this stuff?" Captain Chambers
asked, pointing to the storehouses.

"I think we had better take it away with us. I don't like turning the
Alert into a storeship; but it would be better to do that than to have
the expense of chartering two or three ships to come here to fetch it
away. Beside, if I did that, you would have to stop here until it is
all carried away, and to burn the storehouses afterward."

"Then by all means let us load up," Captain Chambers said. "I
certainly have no wish to be kept here for six weeks or a couple of
months. I will go out and bring the Seagull in at once."

"The sooner the better, Chambers. I will set a couple of boats at work
at once to take soundings here and in the channel. If I can get the
Alert in I will; it would sav