t been with you all this time?" he
exclaimed. "I understood them to say that they would join you when we
arrived at Mr Ballahoo's, and I never dreamed of their not doing so."

The marine officer looked somewhat aghast on hearing that we had not
even seen the Frenchmen.

"Whether he dreamed it or not, they are off as sure as a gun," observed
Nettleship, when I told him.

Such proved to be the case; and though Softy had to march back with a
party of his men to look for them, they were nowhere to be found. I do
not think that the captain was very much put out, though I was sorry to
part from my polite friends without saying good-bye. As the enemy were
in the neighbouring island, it was probable that they would send a force
across to capture Nevis, so that we fully expected to have work to do,
as the governor was resolved to oppose them.

We arrived at Charlestown just at sunset, and were hospitably received
by the inhabitants, among whom we were billeted, the wounded being sent
to the hospital. We were expecting to have a pleasant stay in the town,
but next day a frigate appeared off the place and sent her boat ashore,
when our captain applied for a passage for himself and men to join the
admiral. We had at once, therefore, to embark on board the _Thisbe_.
Next day we stood across to Antigua, and, having passed that island, we
beat to the southward, when a large fleet was seen ahead. We approached
cautiously till we got within signalling distance, when the fleet was
found to be that of Sir Samuel Hood, steering for Antigua. We were
ordered to join it, and the next day brought up in Saint John's roads.
We here remained at anchor for some time, till we were joined by Sir
George Rodney, who had come out from England with several sail of the
line. Sir George Rodney became commander-in-chief, and now considered
himself strong enough to cope with the French and Spanish.

While the officers and crew of the _Liffy_ were together, we were merry
enough; but after we had undergone the trial for her loss, and our
captain and his subordinates had been honourably acquitted, the time
came for our separation. We were distributed among the different ships
of the fleet. Nettleship, Tom Pim, and I were ordered to join the
_Cerberus_, 74, with a portion of our men, among whom was Larry. Tom
and I agreed that we felt lost in so big a ship. We soon, however, got
accustomed to her, and became intimate with our new messmates, seve