panions, continued her course down channel. Roger
earnestly hoped that his friend would be favoured with fine weather, and
would reach a Dutch port in safety. The _Ruby_, on her course down the
English Channel, then ran some way up the Irish Channel, according to
the orders her Captain had received, but she fell in with no vessels or
boats containing persons whom he considered himself bound to look upon
as rebels. He boarded several vessels with passengers bound out to the
New England States, where they said they were going to settle. Some had
their families, and, of course, they could not be considered as rebels,
while the greater number, who were of all ranks--gentlemen, well-to-do
yeomen, and labourers--were single men; but as there was nothing to
prove that they had been supporters of Monmouth, whatever the Captain
might have suspected, he resolved to give them the benefit of the doubt,
and would not detain them. Thus a good many escaped who would have
tended to swell the victims of the Bloody Assize, of which the Captain,
to his great indignation, heard when sending occasionally on shore. The
_Ruby_, having remained the time she had been directed on the west
coast, returned to Portsmouth, where she waited for orders. Seldom in
those days could a ship's company be allowed on shore without the risk
of losing a number of men, but so completely had Benbow ingratiated
himself with his crew, that when their leave was up they all returned on
board.

Roger, meantime, was daily gaining nautical skill and knowledge. Liking
more and more the profession he had chosen, he had won the regard and
esteem of his Captain, who promised as soon as possible to obtain for
him a lieutenant's commission. Roger had several messmates, with all of
whom he got on very well, though some of them were jealous of the favour
he received from the Captain. His chief friend was Charles Ross, a lad
somewhat younger than himself, who had come to sea with Captain Benbow
for the first time. He was a little fellow, light-hearted, merry, and
full of fun, though he had his serious moments, which showed that he was
not as thoughtless as many would have supposed. He and Roger were much
together. Roger was always ready to impart to him the knowledge which
he himself possessed, and especially to teach him navigation. Another
messmate, who was generally known as Old Dick Kemp, had been a
ship's-boy, but had been placed on the quarter-deck for his go