risk fight of
about twenty minutes, the Frenchman's fore and main-topmasts both went
simultaneously over the side, the frigate luffed into the wind, and
obstinately remained there, and she was at George's mercy. The
_Virginie_ at once made sail and took up a position across the enemy's
bows, the _Aurora_ placed herself across his stern, and from these two
advantageous positions a raking fire was opened, which, in less than
five minutes, caused the Frenchman to haul down his flag and surrender.

The prize--which proved to be the twenty-four-gun frigate _Cigne_--was
at once taken possession of by boats from both the _Virginie_ and the
_Aurora_, her crew secured, and her damages repaired; and about midnight
the three vessels made sail in company, arriving without further
adventure at Spithead on the day but one following.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

"ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL."

The anchors were no sooner on the bottom than George found himself a
busy man. There were certain authorities to be communicated with as to
the disposal of the French prisoners, other authorities to be consulted
as to the disposal of the pirates, and still others, again, to be seen
and arranged with as to the disposal of the prizes. Then there were the
owners of the _Vulcan_ to be dealt with in the matter of the salvage of
that vessel, so that, altogether, he was kept going to and fro from
morning until night.

Then there was Lucy to be called upon. But knowing--or thinking he
knew--that the sad news he had to communicate would go far toward
breaking the heart of the poor girl, he eagerly availed himself of every
excuse which offered, to defer his visit; and so it happened that whilst
Lucy--who had heard, with astonishment and joy unspeakable, the news of
his strange reappearance and good fortune--waited impatiently for the
longed-for visit, George was postponing it day after day, until nearly a
fortnight had passed.

And in truth he was so worried and harassed with unexpected difficulties
that, even if he could have found the time, he lacked the heart for such
a call. To his intense surprise, he learned that, though he had arrived
at Spithead with three ships, neither of them belonged to him. To begin
with, the _Virginie_, having been captured whilst her captors were under
the protection of a convoying squadron, was claimed as being actually
the prize of that squadron, though not one of the ships belonging to it
had fired a shot or stru