my dear fellows," he added, as Terence and Jack
were expostulating with him for spending so much money on their account.
"As we have done the harm, we must stand the blame, you know," they
said.

Mr Gale had long been accustomed to the Greeks, and spoke their
language fluently; and having first frightened the master by proving to
him that his detention was his own fault, because he had not explained
that he was an honest trader, in order to show the good feeling of the
English, he promised forthwith to liberate him. The Greek was profuse
in his thanks, especially when the lieutenant, to exhibit the
magnanimity of his captors, presented him with a bottle of rum and a few
piastres.

Perfectly satisfied with this turn in the state of affairs, the Greeks
were voluble in their expression of gratitude, and waving their hands,
pressed them to their hearts, as the two boats pulled away for the
corvette. Captain Hartland, her commander, soon after they came on
board, gave the two midshipmen a severe lecture for their behaviour, and
telling them to make the best of their way back to Corfu, advised them
not to boast too loudly of their exploit. Alick, who was decidedly a
favourite, had, they found in the meantime, contrived to plead their
cause. They followed Captain Hartland's advice, but they felt very
crestfallen and sheepish for some days after they got back to their own
ship. The story, however, leaked out in time, and Terence and Jack had,
of course, to stand a good deal of quizzing on the subject. At last, a
Paddy's Prize became a cant saying on board, when anybody had taken
anything to which he had no right.

Several months passed away--the winter came on. The _Racer_ met with a
severe gale, in which she was partially dismasted, and received so much
damage that she had to put into Valetta harbour to repair. She found
the _Firefly_ there, and as Captain Hartland had the character of being
very attentive to the instruction of his midshipmen in seamanship,
Captain Lascelles got him to take Terence and Jack with him for a cruise
while the frigate was refitting. Nothing loath, they transferred
themselves, with their chests, on board the corvette, and once more the
three schoolfellows were together. They found the life on board the
corvette very different to that of the frigate. Their hands were
constantly in the tar-bucket and paint-pot. They were for ever employed
in knotting and splicing, and in rigging and unr