ur had passed since the first vessel was
attacked, and four prizes, the reward of British valour, were now being
carried off down the harbour with a considerable number of prisoners on
board. They were not, however, to escape without molestation. The
other vessels which had hitherto escaped the flames, opened their fire
upon them, as did the fort; but the number of vessels, which kept some
little way apart from each other, prevented the French gunners from
taking very good aim. Several shots, however, struck the prizes. The
French prisoners on board were the chief sufferers. They, poor fellows!
shrieked out to their countrymen, entreating them not to fire, as
nothing they could do would stop the desperate Englishmen from carrying
off the vessels. Their voices, however, were probably not heard, and
their entreaties were certainly not attended to. The breeze, blowing
directly down the harbour, carried the prizes quickly clear of the fort,
and in a short time they were alongside the "Weymouth," which made sail,
and stood off with them towards the English coast.

Jack's heart beat high when the next morning he was summoned on the
quarter-deck, where the captain and several of his officers were
standing together. Jack stood hat in hand before the captain.

"Mr Cammock has spoken highly of your coolness and courage last night,
John Deane," he said. "He tells me also that you saved his life by
coming between him and an officer who would have cut him down. From
what has been told me, I believe you will do honour to the quarter-deck,
and I will therefore from this day rate you as a master's mate. It is
the first step in the ratlines, and I have no doubt, if you go on as you
have begun, that you will in time reach the top."

Jack's heart beat high at these words. He had hoped some day to become
an officer, but he had not expected so soon to attain his wishes, and he
was determined the captain's words should be verified, and that he would
lose no opportunity of distinguishing himself. He had already a fair
store of prize-money, so that he was able, without writing home, to fit
himself out as became an officer, not so difficult in those days as in
later years. He had no great fancy for gold lace suits, but a good
serviceable coat and cocked hat was more according to his taste. He
could now, however, write home with some degree of satisfaction, to say
that he had become an officer, and that he hoped by sticking to th