the new look
just worn off them, and barely stretched into their proper shape--
without a blemish or fault to mar their perfect appearance. _Now_, she
passed out to sea with her fore and main-topgallant-masts and mizen-
topmast hanging over the side, the fore-topsail-yard down on the cap,
the spankerboom shot away in the jaws, the flying-jib-stay and halliards
cut through and the sail towing alongside, her canvas riddled with shot-
holes, ends and bights of ropes streaming out in the wind everywhere
aloft, and two 36-pound shot in her side. Luckily, however, our
casualties ended here; for, notwithstanding the hailstorm of shot
through which we had passed, not a man on board was hurt.

We were busy the remainder of that night, and a good part of the
following day, making good the damages sustained. By evening, however,
we were all ataunto once more; and as soon as the work was finished,
Captain Hood mustered the hands and made them a speech, thanking them,
both officers and men, for the courage and determination with which all
had co-operated with him in effecting the escape of the ship from an
enemy's port, wherein she actually lay aground surrounded by armed
ships, and with numerous heavily armed batteries opposing our departure.
Percival was specially referred to, his skill in piloting the ship in
and out again being dwelt upon in highly commendatory terms; and then--
the skipper being a rare hand at turning out a neat speech and rounding
it off with a compliment--the men were told that, having behaved so
exceptionally well, their officers would now have no hesitation about
engaging in any enterprise, however hazardous or hopeless it might
appear, confident that the men they led would support them as long as
they had strength to stand.

At the close of this speech the men, as in duty bound, gave three
cheers, the hammocks were piped down, and life on board the "Juno"
resumed once more its normal conditions.

The first question which suggested itself to the skipper, after getting
his ship once more into fighting order, naturally was what was to be
done with the supernumeraries which we had on board. His instructions,
it appeared, made no provision whatever for the possibility of such a
_contretemps_ as had befallen us, and he was, in consequence, quite at a
loss what to do. Finally, after talking the affair over with Mr
Annesley, he resolved to take them back to Malta, and a course was
accordingly shaped for th