the foretop-sail to be again filled in chase, she had got so
far to windward as to be again almost out of gun-shot. A few guns were
fired after her, but the shot did not succeed in cutting away any of her
spars or rigging, and she drew so fast ahead, that it was seen to be
useless following her further.

The brig's helm was accordingly put up, and she stood away to the
southward, towing after her Raby's boat, which was kept in case she
should be required for a future occasion.

Everybody now crowded round Jack Raby, to learn from him all the events
which had taken place; but Mr Saltwell summoned him, and made him go
circumstantially over them to him, and he afterwards had to repeat them
to all his messmates, and to the surgeon and purser, who had not heard
them.

As the reader is already well acquainted with most of them, I need only
commence when he began his account of his successful escape from the
bay, in which it appeared that he was assisted by no other person than
Paolo Montifalcone.

"You must know," he said, "that while the young Italian doctor was
dressing the wounds, a fire broke out on the hill, above the bay, and
the whole population rushed off to see the fire. No sooner was the
coast clear, than Paolo, as they called him, said to me--

"`Now would be your time to escape, if you had anybody with you to
manage a boat.'

"Of course, I told him that I could do that perfectly well by myself.

"`Well then,' he replied, `Hasten down to the beach, you will there find
a small boat which we passed on our way here. She has a sail in her,
and oars, and if you are quick about it, you may get out of the harbour
and join your friends before you are missed; and if you remain, you will
be knocked on the head and thrown over the cliff, to a certainty.'

"`You don't mean to say that you expect me to run away and leave my
captain to die hereby himself,' I exclaimed, ready to knock him down,
for I saw that he was in earnest in his proposal, though the idea had
only just occurred to him. `A pretty blackguard I shall be, indeed.'

"`But I tell you he cannot live, and you will be sacrificed if you
remain,' he argued.

"`I tell you what it is, Signor Paolo,' I replied; `a midshipman's life
is not reckoned of much value at the best, and I am not going to do a
dirty action to save mine, I can tell you. I'm much obliged to you for
what you have done, and for your good intentions; but if the captain is
to die, why it