up the yards and try to make the best of our
way out of danger. We might have done so had there been a strong breeze
blowing, but we could not beat the ship off shore as fast as we wanted.

"Night came down upon us, and a very dark night it was. We could not
see the land, but we knew it was under our lee, when presently thump
goes the ship ashore. Our captain did his best to get her off, but all
our attempts were of no use. The saucy _Arethusa_ was hard and fast on
the rocks.

"The word was given to lower the boats. I was one of the first cutter's
crew. We had got her into the water, and the master, as good a seaman
as ever stepped, came with us, and two young midshipmites.

"`We'll not be made prisoners if we can help it, lads,' said the master.
`Here, lower down these two casks of bread, and this breaker of water.'

"We had no time to get more, and we hoped the other boats would follow
our example, but they would have to be sharp about it. We got round
from under the lee of the ship, against which the surf was already
breaking heavily, and pulled away to the windward out to sea. You may
be sure we pulled as men do who are pulling for their lives and liberty.
If we had been a minute later, we shouldn't have done it. No other
boats that we could see followed us. Next morning we were twenty miles
off shore.

"We felt very downcast at the thoughts that we had lost our little
frigate, but were thankful to have got away from a French prison. We
learned afterwards that the captain, fearing for the lives of his
people, sent the other boats at once to the shore, and establishing a
communication, managed to land the whole crew, who were forthwith made
prisoners. It was fortunate that we had the biscuit and water, or we
should have been starved to death; for it was a week or more before we
fell in with an English homeward-bound West Indiaman, when we had not a
gill of liquid left, and not a biscuit a-piece. I learned the value of
water at that time, but I have always held to the opinion that a little
good rum mixed with it adds greatly to its taste," and Jerry winked at
my uncle with one eye, and with the other looked at his tumbler, which
was empty.

Uncle Kelson mixed him another glass.

"Ladies both," he said, looking round at my aunt and Margaret, "here's
to your health, and may Will be with you a free man before many months
are over. Maybe you haven't heard of the ghost we had on board the old
_Cornwa