Hawkins.

CHAPTER SIXTY.

AN OLD FRIEND IN A NEW CASE--HEART OF OAK IN SWEDISH FIR--A MAN'S A MAN,
ALL THE WORLD OVER, AND SOMETHING MORE IN MANY PARTS OF IT--PETER GETS
REPRIMANDED FOR BEING DILATORY, BUT PROVES A TITLE TO A DEFENCE-ALLOWED.

When we were about forty miles off the harbour, a frigate hove in sight.
We made the private signal: she hoisted Swedish colours, and kept away
a couple of points to close with us.

We were within two miles of her when she up courses and took in her
topgallant sails. As we closed to within two cable's lengths, she
hove-to. We did the same; and the captain desired me to lower down the
boat, and board her, ask her name, by whom she was commanded, and offer
any assistance if the captain required it. This was the usual custom of
the service, and I went on board in obedience to my orders. When I
arrived on the quarter-deck, I asked in French, whether there were any
one who spoke it. The first lieutenant came forward, and took off his
hat: I stated, that I was requested to ask the name of the vessel and
the commanding officer, to insert it in our log, and to offer any
services that we could command. He replied, that the captain was on
deck, and turned round, but the captain had gone down below. "I will
inform him of your message--I had no idea that he had quitted the deck;"
and the first lieutenant left me. I exchanged a few compliments, and a
little news with the officers on deck, who appeared to be very
gentlemanlike fellows, when the first lieutenant requested my presence
in the cabin. I descended--the door was opened--I was announced by the
first lieutenant, and he quitted the cabin. I looked at the captain,
who was sitting at the table: he was a fine, stout man, with two or
three ribands at his button-hole, and a large pair of mustachios. I
thought that I had seen him before, but I could not recollect when: his
face was certainly familiar to me, but, as I had been informed by the
officers on deck, that the captain was a Count Shucksen, a person I had
never heard of, I thought that I must be mistaken. I therefore
addressed him in French, paying him a long compliment, with all the
necessary _et ceteras_.

The captain turned round to me, took his hand away from his forehead,
which it had shaded, and looking me full in the face, replied, "Mr
Simple, I don't understand but very little French. Spin your yarn in
plain English."

I started--"I thought that I knew yo