ack.

I felt somewhat anxious lest my ship should have sailed, and I might
have to kick my heels about Plymouth until she came back, or have to
make another journey to get aboard her. Great was my satisfaction,
therefore, when I saw her at anchor in Hamoaze. I at once went aboard.
Old Rough-and-Ready received me with a somewhat frowning brow when I
reported myself. On my explaining, however, what had happened, he said
that he would make things all right with Lord Robert, who was expected
on board every hour. As soon as his lordship appeared, we went out of
harbour. We found that Parliament being prorogued, we were to take a
short summer cruise. It was shorter than we expected.

After knocking about for a couple of weeks, we put back again into the
Sound, where we received a packet of letters, which had been waiting for
us at the post office. I got one from my uncle, stating that all things
were going on well at Ballinahone, and enclosing another in an unknown
hand, and bearing a foreign post-mark. On opening it I found that it
was from La Touche, reminding me of my promise to pay him a visit when
peace was restored, and inviting me over to his chateau in the
neighbourhood of Vernon. It appeared to me that I had but little chance
of being able to accept his invitation. I at once wrote him a letter,
stating that I was still on board, but that, should I be at liberty, I
would without fail endeavour to go over and see him; that though we had
been fighting with his nation, I had met so many brave men among them,
nothing would give me greater pleasure than to become acquainted with La
Belle France, and to see him again. I at once sent the letter on shore
to be posted. The same mail brought despatches to the captain. Their
tenor was soon announced. It was that the ship was to sail immediately
for Portsmouth, where she had been fitted out, to be paid off.

As his lordship was never addicted to doing anything in a hurry, he
waited, before obeying the order he had received, till he could get a
supply of fresh butter and eggs and other comestibles on board. We
therefore did not sail till the next day. We had a fair breeze going
out of the Sound, but the wind headed us when we got into the Channel,
and we made a tack towards the French coast. The wind continued light
and baffling, and we were three days before, having gone round by Saint
Helen's, we came to an anchor at Spithead. Here we had to wait until
the wi