r, much to the
gratification of Mr Sennitt, who was intensely anxious for the
distinction of sending in the first prize.

The first duty was of course to secure possession, after which, the
weather appearing likely to continue fine, the hands were piped to
dinner--such dinner, that is, as could be procured on the spur of the
moment, the galley fire having been extinguished at the time of clearing
for action. Captain Brisac allowed an hour for this meal and a little
repose, at the expiration of which all hands were set to work to clear
away the wreck and repair damages, a task which kept us busy until
considerably after sunset. By eight p.m., however, our preparations
were complete, a prize crew was placed on board the "Sans-Culotte," and
a nice little breeze having in the meantime sprung up from the westward,
we made sail in company, shaping a course for Plymouth, off which we
arrived about noon the next day.

The prize, now being safe from all chance of recapture, was sent in,
while the "Scourge," hauling her wind upon the starboard tack, reached
off the land on her way back to her appointed cruising-ground.

On the following day, about an hour before the time for serving dinner
in the cabin, Patterson, the captain's steward, popped his head in at
the door of the midshipmen's berth and announced,--

"Captain's compliments, and he will be glad to have the pleasure of Mr
Chester's company at dinner."

"Tell Captain Brisac with my compliments that I am much obliged for his
courteous invitation, which I accept with very great pleasure," I
responded, looking up from the "Day's Work" upon which I was busy with
my slate and pencil.

"You're a lucky dog, Chester!" exclaimed young Harvey; "you seem to have
dropped plump into the skipper's good books all at once. It is not
often that we mids are honoured with an invitation to the cabin-table, I
can tell you."

"Oh! come now, Harvey, I protest against your imposing upon the
unfortunate Chester in that manner," interposed little Markham
(nicknamed "Goliath" because he measured exactly three feet, six inches
in his stockings). "You know as well as I do that he is invited into
the cabin to-night, in order that the skipper may give him a good
wigging for that boarding business yesterday. I hope he won't be _very_
hard upon you, old chap," he added, in a tone of deep sympathy, turning
to me, "for somehow I have taken quite a liking to you, and if _I_ had
been at your elb