p further off till they drop anchor for de night; and den,
when it dark, we take 'em."

All Mesty's advice was good, with the exception perhaps of advising our
hero how to disobey orders and take a cruise. To prevent the vessel
from approaching too near the others, and at the same time to let her
have the appearance of doing her best, a sail was towed overboard under
the bows, and after that they watched the motions of the _Harpy_.

The distance was too great to distinguish very clearly, but Mesty
shinned up the mast of the vessel, and reported progress.

"By Jasus, dare one gun--two gun--go it, _Harpy_. Won't she ab um, sure
enough. Now gun-boat fire--dat our gun-boat--no, dat not ours. Now our
gun-boat fire--dat pretty--fire away. Ah, now de _Harpy_ cum up. All
'mung 'em. Bung, bung, bung--rattle de grape, by gosh. I ab notion de
Spaniard is very pretty considerable trouble just now, anyhow. All
hove-to, so help me gosh--not more firing; _Harpy_ take um all--dare gun
boat hove-to, she strike um colours. By all powers, but suppose dey
tink we no share prize-money--they find it not little mistake. Now, my
lads, it all over, and," continued Mesty, sliding down the mast, "I tink
you better not show yourself too much; only two men stay on deck, and
dem two take off um jackets."

Mesty's report was correct; the _Harpy_ had captured the other gun-boat,
and the whole convoy. The only drawback to their good fortune was the
disappearance of Mr Easy and the cutter: it was supposed that a shot
from the gun-boat must have sunk her, and that the whole crew were
drowned. Captain Wilson and Mr Sawbridge seriously regretted the loss
of our hero, as they thought that he would have turned out a shining
character as soon as he had sown his wild oats; so did Mr Asper,
because our hero's purse went with him; so did Jolliffe, because he had
taken an affection for him; so did little Gossett, because he
anticipated no mercy from Vigors. On the other hand, there were some
who were glad that he was gone; and as for the ship's company in
general, they lamented the loss of the poor cutter's crew for
twenty-four hours, which, in a man-of-war, is a very long while, and
then they thought no more about them. We must leave the _Harpy_ to make
the best of her way to Toulon and now follow our hero.

The cutter's crew knew very well that Jack was acting contrary to
orders, but anything was to them a change from the monotony of a
man-o