ed with the demolition of the comestibles, I
related to him the various adventures which had befallen me since
leaving the old "Juno," demanding in return an explanation of the
circumstances which led to his turning up in the opportune manner
related in the last chapter.

"Oh!" replied he, "I can tell you that in half-a-dozen words. When the
boat returned from landing you, old Rawlings went at once to the cabin
to make his report, and soon afterwards we filled away and stood to the
nor'ard and east'ard under easy canvas. Then the wind fell light, and
by-and-by it dropped altogether, and when daylight began to appear we
found ourselves within about six miles of this brig. The skipper and
Mr Annesley both toddled up as far as the main-topsail-yard to take a
look at her. They were about a quarter of an hour up there, and when
they came down, the first and second cutters were sent away to see who
and what she was. Mr Flinn had charge of one boat, Percival and I went
in the other. We soon saw that she was French, and the lads gave a
cheer and laid themselves out to race for her. Our boat was rather the
lighter of the two, and Percival and I promised our people a bottle of
grog if we got alongside first, in consequence of which we beat Flinn
all to splinters. Seeing us walking ahead, he hailed us to keep back in
line with him, which was likely, wasn't it? Oh, yes! Didn't he wish he
might get it? By the time that we were within half a mile of her the
brig had got her boarding-netting all triced up, guns loaded and
depressed, and everything ready for a warm reception. She withheld her
fire until we were close to her, intending, I suppose, to utterly
demolish us just before we got alongside; but I was watching them with
my telescope, and as soon as they had got their broadside carefully
trained and were about to fire, we simply took a broad sheer to port,
and before they could lay their guns afresh, we were under her bows, and
into her head, from whence we at last managed to hew our way in upon
deck. This disheartened the Frenchmen, and they began to give way, and
at that moment in came Flinn and his lot over the starboard quarter,
laying about them right and left. That settled the business; the
Johnnies flung down their arms and cried for quarter, which of course we
gave them.

"She turned out to be the `Requin,' privateer, armed with eight long
nine-pounders, with a crew of forty men in her forecastle, and her h