heir task was
accomplished, Larry offered to give them a tune on his fiddle.

When, however, he began scraping away, instead of jumping up, and toeing
and heeling it as Frenchmen would have done, they stood with their arms
folded, gravely listening to his strains.

"Arrah, now, my boys, there is no quicksilver in your heels," he
exclaimed, observing their apathy. "What's the use of playing to such
grave dons as you?" We then tried them with a song, but with no better
effect. At last their officer, who took supper with us in the cabin,
ordered them into the boat, and they pulled back to their ship.

"I say, Paddy," said Tom, "I wish that you would let me go instead of
you to-morrow, if the dons make another attack on the city. I daresay
Nettleship will consent, if you ask him."

I did not like to disappoint Tom, but at the same time, as I should
thereby be avoiding danger, it was just the request to which I could not
well agree.

Nettleship, however, settled the matter. "To tell you the truth," he
answered, "I have been thinking over what is our duty, and have arrived
at the conclusion that, now the brig is ready for sea, we ought to make
the best of our way to Gibraltar. As far as I can judge, no impression
has been made on the city; and if the Spaniards and their allies could
not succeed while their ships were in good order, they are less likely
to do anything now. Had the Spanish admiral requested our assistance,
we should have been bound to afford it; but as he said nothing on the
subject, I don't feel called upon to offer it again."

We, however, remained at anchor during the night. The next day the
fleet showed no signs of renewing the attack, though righting was taking
place on shore. Nettleship, however, having desired me to accompany
him, we pulled on board the flag-ship to bid farewell to Don Barcelo and
Henry Vernon. The admiral again thanked us, but, from the remarks he
made, I judged that he was rather anxious than otherwise that we should
go away, so as not to witness his defeat. When I wished him success, he
looked very gloomy, and made no reply. Having paid him our respects, we
went down into the cockpit to see Vernon, who was, we were sorry to
find, suffering greatly. The surgeon, however, who was present, assured
me that his wound was not mortal, though it would be some time before he
recovered. When Nettleship told him his intention of leaving the fleet,
he replied that it was the w