nding to them with all their might.
Larry and I stood ready to spring in. We could hear the footsteps of
the Frenchmen approaching rapidly. By stooping down we managed to
conceal ourselves, and to avoid several more shots which were fired.
The moment the bowman touched the rock with his boat-hook, Larry and I
sprang on board. I scrambled aft, while Nettleship shouted out--

"Back oars all. Now, starboard oars, give way."

The boat was quickly got round, but we had pulled to no great distance
before the Frenchmen, reaching the beach, began to blaze away at us. We
returned the compliment by firing the only two muskets which had been
brought. The Frenchmen standing up on the rock presented a good target.
First one shot struck the stern, and another the blade of an oar, but
no one was hurt, and the Frenchmen, finding that they were the greatest
sufferers, prudently retired from the beach.

After a long pull we got back to the frigate. The captain, to whom I
delivered General Fraser's letter, complimented me on having performed
the duty.

"Your conduct will be noted, Finnahan, and you may depend upon obtaining
your promotion as soon as you are old enough."

I expected to be able to turn in, but he sent me with the letter at once
on board the flag-ship, and I delivered it in person to Sir Samuel Hood.

The admiral almost repeated what the captain had said; and I had good
reason to congratulate myself at the success of my adventure.

Next day, General Prescott's division was re-embarked, as it was not a
sufficient force to fight its way to General Fraser at Brimstone Hill.
Other attempts were made to communicate with him, and two officers were
captured; so that I had good cause to be thankful that I had escaped.

Dubois and La Touche confessed that they were very sorry to see me back.

"I felt sure that you would be made prisoner, and fully expected to have
had the satisfaction of being exchanged for you," said the latter. "But
we have to practise patience and laugh at our misfortunes, to get on in
this world."

"I'm very glad you were not caught, Paddy," said Tom Pim. "I envy you
your success, and only wish that I could talk French as you do, to be
employed on the same sort of service. La Touche is teaching me, and I'm
trying to teach him English, but we make rum work of it without a
grammar or dictionary, or any other book. I suspect he gets more out of
me than I do out of him, though I try very hard to