in window. I hope I won't be
called a thief for taking them. Here they are, Mr Terence;" and he
handed me the packet which I had seen in the drawer.

I hurried aft with it to the captain. I found him and the first
lieutenant in the cabin.

"Why, what's this?" exclaimed the captain, as I gave him the packet.

I told him that I believed it contained the despatches sent from
Port-au-Prince; and that my companion, Larry Harrigan, unknown to me,
had brought them away.

"What! and you gave him a hint to do so?" said the captain.

"No, indeed I didn't, sir," I answered firmly, though I blushed as I
then explained, that although I had spoken to Larry about them, it was
with no intention of inducing him to do what I was unwilling to do
myself. "I had told him of them, sir," I said; "but I give you my word
of honour that I had no thought at the time of his getting hold of them.
I did meditate, I confess, throwing them overboard; but under the
circumstances I came to the conclusion that I had no right to do that,
independent of the risk of being severely dealt with by the Frenchmen,
should my act be discovered."

"Well, well, I believe you, Finnahan," said the captain in a kind tone.
"We have got them, and we must take them at once to Sir Samuel Hood. We
need care very little about the brig now."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

OLD FRIENDS.

"Hadn't you better, sir, see what they contain?" observed Mr Saunders.
"It's just possible, too, that the commander of the brig knows their
contents, and will communicate it verbally to the French admiral, or
perhaps he may have duplicates on board."

"I don't think he has that, sir," I remarked. "I saw the packet
delivered to the French lieutenant, and he certainly did not open it,
though I can't say whether he knows the purport of the despatches."

"It's likely enough that he does, though; and at all events we must
prevent him, if we can, from communicating with his admiral," said
Captain Macnamara. "When he finds that you have made your escape, he'll
be eager to be off, and still more so if he discovers that the
despatches are missing. Send a boat, Mr Saunders, at once to watch the
movements of the brig. Heave the cable short, and be ready to sail the
moment we get a breeze."

Mr Saunders left the cabin to carry out the orders he had received. I
hadn't yet told the captain of the way the brig was taken from me, and
of the mutiny. I now, by his desire, gave him a detailed ac