mediately sent to bring the prisoners on board, when
the captain, making a low bow, bestowed an affectionate kiss on the hilt
of his weapon, and handed it to the admiral, who replied--

"You are a brave man, and deserve to keep your sword: pray receive it
and wear it for my sake," and he handed the weapon back to his prisoner.

The prize was a valuable acquisition, being a fine frigate of forty
guns. Four other large French vessels were taken on our way home, and
at length we arrived safely at Plymouth. Lancelot, Dick, and I at once
got leave to go to Lyme, being anxious to learn whether any tidings had
been received of the lost ones.

Mr Harvey, who was there, received us very kindly. Every means had
been taken for discovering them, but not even the slightest clue had
been obtained, and he acknowledged that he had very slight hopes that we
should ever again hear of them. The reality came with fearful force
upon me when he said this, and it was with difficulty I could refrain
from giving way to my passionate grief. Lancelot, feeling as I did
there was nothing to keep us at home, returned to Plymouth, where Dick
promised to follow.

On a bright day in the early part of spring, 1651, Lancelot and I went
on board the _Tiger_, which had been hastily refitted for sea. Martin,
who was on the look-out, welcomed us back.

"Just in time, gentlemen; there's work cut out for us, and the admiral
is to be on board this evening," he said, as we shook hands. "We are to
rout out that nest of hornets in Scilly, and I've a notion we shall make
them disgorge the plunder they have been collecting for many years
past."

We were truly thankful for the promised excitement, for in the present
state of our minds we could ill brook idleness. Besides the _Tiger_, a
number of small frigates were collected, well calculated for the work to
be undertaken. The admiral, accompanied by his nephew, came on board
that evening, the former receiving Lancelot and me in his usual kind
way, not forgetting to make inquiries whether our sisters and his friend
Mr Kerridge had returned. "Don't despair, notwithstanding, my young
friends," he said, when we told him nothing had been heard of them "By
God's providence they may still be found."

Robert had now become, next to the captain, the principal officer on
board, and though so young, he well fulfilled the duties of his post.

Lancelot had been promoted to the rank of lieutenant, but Dick and I