coming back to us all jumbled up
together, English and French words being so hopelessly intermixed, that
it was utterly impossible to make head or tail of what they were saying.

We were by this time passing close under the brig's stern, and Percival
was remarking to the first lieutenant that it was quite time to heave
about, as he was sure we must be close upon the shoal, when the voice,
which had hailed us first, shouted out for us to "Luff!"

"Hard down with your helm!" exclaimed Annesley; "over with it, my man:
tacks and sheets! Ah! we have cut it too fine," as with a gentle surge
the frigate was brought up all standing on the shoal. "Away aloft, men;
clew up and haul down; furl everything!"

The topsail and jib halliards were let run, the canvas was clewed up,
and in a minute or two more all was snugly stowed. The men were just in
the act of laying in off the yards, when a little puff of wind coming
down the harbour caught the frigate's bow, and to our great
gratification paid her head round until her fore-foot scraped off the
bank. The order was at once given to let go the anchor; the cable
smoked out through the hawse-pipe, and the ship swung round, head to
wind. We found, however, that her heel was still fast on the shoal, and
the rudder immovable; it was therefore determined, as the tide was on
the turn, to hoist out the launch at once, and run away a kedge, in
order to haul the ship off while the operation was still possible.
Tackles were accordingly got up on the fore and main-yardarms, and in
less than five minutes the launch was in the water alongside.

"Where is Mr Chester?" said the first lieutenant, looking round.
"Here, sir!" I replied, emerging from the shadow of the bulwarks, where
I had been taking a peep at things in general through an open port, from
which I had observed, among other things, a six-oared gig pull from the
brig, and make towards the town; but foolishly I failed to report the
circumstance, not at that moment attaching the slightest importance to
it. "Jump into the launch, Mr Chester, and take charge," said Mr
Annesley. "I want the kedge run away here, about two points on our port
bow. You must not go farther to windward than that, or the tide will
take our quarter, when we float, and drive us down on the brig. Now off
you go, and be as smart as you can."

"Ay, ay, sir!" I replied, touching my cap, and away I scrambled down
into the launch, where I found the kedge alread