Ben
had charge of the other, with the remainder. I did not think it prudent
to let La Touche take a watch, though he politely offered to do so. The
night was excessively hot, and I felt more inclined to remain on deck
than below. After La Touche and I had had supper, he said he would
remain in the cabin to look after his sick friend. One of the Frenchmen
acted as steward, and the other as cook. The former frequently came
into the cabin to bring us our meals, and to take food to the sick
midshipman.

I kept the first watch, and Ben relieved me at midnight, when I lay down
on deck, on a mattress I had brought up from the cabin, under a small
awning rigged near the after-part of the vessel. I had been asleep for
a couple of hours or more, when I was awakened by feeling the vessel
heel suddenly over.

"All hands on deck! Shorten sail!" shouted Ben in a lusty voice.

I sprang to my feet. There was not a moment to lose. La Touche, who
had been awakened at the same time, rushed up on deck, followed by
another person, who appeared to be as active as any one. As rapidly as
we could, we let fly the topgallant sheets, lowered the peak, and
brailed up the foresail, while the helm was put up. The brig righted,
fortunately not carrying away the masts, and off we flew before the
wind. The Frenchmen and blacks behaved remarkably well, and ran aloft
to reef the topsails, and stow the lighter sails, which were flapping
loudly as they blew out with the wind.

The sky had become overcast; the scud flew rapidly along, just above our
heads, as it seemed, while the spoon-drift, blown off from rising seas,
covered the ocean with a sheet of white.

When all immediate danger was over, the stranger who had so mysteriously
shown himself slipped down the companion ladder, and I was too busy to
ask La Touche who he was. I naturally concluded that he was the sick
midshipman La Touche had been so tenderly nursing.

As soon as we had got the brig to rights, I looked out for the _Soleil_
but could nowhere distinguish her. Had she borne up? or having
shortened sail in time, was she still keeping her course? I hoped that
the latter was the case, and resolved to attempt hauling to the wind,
and steering for Port Royal. I told Ben of my intention, as he, I
considered, was the best seaman among my crew.

"It will be as much as we can do, sir, if we could do it at all," he
answered. "The brig is not particularly stiff, or she would