ze.

As soon as we brought up at Spithead, I eagerly looked out for a boat
going to the shore, by which to send my letter, hoping to have it
delivered at once, instead of letting it go through the post office;
but, as it was late in the evening, no shore boats came off, and I had
to wait all the night, thinking how little my dear wife supposed I was
so near her.

I turned out at daybreak, before the hammocks were piped up, that I
might take a look at the spot where I thought she was living. Suddenly
a sickness came over me. What if she should have been taken ill when I
was so rudely torn from her! Perhaps she had never recovered, and was
even now numbered among the dead. I could scarcely refrain from jumping
overboard and trying to swim to Southsea beach. It seemed so near, and
yet I knew that I could not do it. Then I thought I would go boldly up
to the first lieutenant and tell him how treacherously I had been
carried off,--snatched, as it were, from the arms of my young wife,--and
ask him to give me leave for a few hours, promising faithfully to come
back at the time he might name. Then I reflected that the ship was
short-handed, that we had the prisoners to guard, and that until she had
been brought up safe in Portsmouth harbour, every man would be required
for duty.

"It would be useless to ask him," I groaned out. "He'll remember I'm a
pressed man, and would not trust me. It is too common for men to break
their word and desert, indifferent to what others may suffer in
consequence. No," I thought, "I'll try to send my letter first, and
then wait with all the patience I can muster until I can get an answer."

Before long the hands were turned up, and we all set about our usual
duties, washing down decks and giving them a double allowance of
holystoning, to try and get out more of the blood stains before,
visitors should come on board.

Scarcely was this work over than the order was given to get up the
anchor and make sail, as, tide and wind being favourable, we were to run
into harbour.

My heart bounded at the thought, I sprang with eagerness to my station,
the ship gathered way and, followed by our prize, we stood towards the
well-known entrance of Portsmouth harbour.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

THE SHIP MADE SNUG--VISITORS COME ON BOARD--JERRY VINCENT--NEWS OF MY
WIFE, AND HOME--HOW MY UNCLE BECAME INDIGNANT--JERRY WISHES ME TO TAKE
FRENCH LEAVE--I REFUSE, I ASK FOR AND OBTAIN PERMISSION TO GO ASH