gasp, he was thus endeavouring
to prevent falling into the hands of the British.

Without loss of time one hundred and fifty prisoners were removed on
board the _Nymph_, and just as the last had stepped on board the ships
separated.

The third lieutenant, who had been sent on board with a prize crew, at
once set to work to repair the damages which the _Cleopatra_ had
received, while all hands in the _Nymph_ were actively employed in the
game way. When we came to look at our watches, we found that we had
dished up the enemy in just fifty minutes from the time the first shot
had been fired at her until her flag was hauled down.

"Pretty quick work," said Dick Hagger to me as we were working together
repairing the rigging. "I told you the captain would be sharp about it;
he always is at all he undertakes."

On making up the butcher's bill, however, as the purser called it, we
found that although the Frenchmen out of three hundred and twenty men
and boys had lost sixty-three, we, out of our two hundred and forty, had
had no less than twenty-three killed and twenty severely wounded, making
fifty in all. Of these, the gentlemen belonging to the midshipmen's
berth had suffered most severely, for four of them had been killed and
two wounded. Of the senior officers, none had been killed; but the
second lieutenant had been wounded, as was the lieutenant of marines,
with six of his men.

As soon as sail could be got on the two frigates, we, to my great joy,
steered a course for the Isle of Wight. I now felt more thankful than
ever that I had escaped, as there seemed every probability that I should
be able to see my dear wife, or at all events communicate with her. As
soon as I went below, though I could with difficulty keep my eyes from
closing, I opened my letter and added a few lines describing the action,
and then placed it in my pocket, ready to send off on the first
opportunity.

In spite of the poor fellows suffering below, and the number of
shipmates we had lost, we felt very happy as with a fair breeze we
sailed in through the Needles, our well-won prize following in our wake.

Never did those high-pointed rocks look more white and glittering or the
downs more green and beautiful, while the blue sea sparkling in the
sunlight seemed to share our joy. The people on the shore, as we passed
the little town of Yarmouth, waved to us, and threw up their hats, and
the flags from many a flagstaff flew out to the bree