in
killed and wounded. The Frenchmen had, however, lost between seventy
and eighty men in all. The second Captain was killed, and the first
desperately wounded. The frigates had got so close in with the French
coast that they were obliged to anchor to repair damages, so as to be in
a condition to make sail and stand off again. It was a very anxious
time for the English, for they were close enough in to be very much
annoyed, should guns be brought down to the coast to bear upon them, or
should any French ships be warned of their vicinity, and be able to get
up and attack them before they were prepared for another engagement.

These considerations made everybody on board work with a will, and all
night long the wearied crew of the _Ruby_ were putting their own ship
into fighting order, and getting up jury-masts so as to make sail on the
prize. A careful lookout was kept, however, so that they might be
prepared to meet danger from whatever quarter it might come.

The passengers taken in the packet were among the first removed from the
French frigate, and were accommodated as well as circumstances would
allow on board the _Ruby_.

The morning after the battle, the wind came off the shore, and a large
concourse of people assembled on the coast had the mortification to see
the _Ruby_ and her prize make sail and stand away to the northward.

A few hours afterwards, a fleet of gunboats and two frigates came to
look for them; but they were beyond reach of the former, and though the
frigates followed, they were driven back by the sight of an English
squadron, and both the _Ruby_ and _La Ralieuse_ reached Portsmouth in
safety.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

True Blue's agitation was considerable, when, the day after the ship's
arrival in Portsmouth Harbour, he heard his name called along the deck,
and found that he was sent for into the Captain's cabin. "I wonder what
I can be wanted for," he said to Abel Bush as he was giving his jacket a
shake, and seeing that his shoes and handkerchief were tied with
nautical propriety.

"About the matter of the jumping overboard," said Abel. "They think a
good deal of it, you know!"

"That's more than I do," answered True Blue. "I wish they hadn't found
out it was me. Still I must go. Good-bye, Abel. I hope they won't
want to be paying me. I'll not touch a shilling--of that I'm
determined!"

"Stick to that, boy--don't," said Abel. "You did your duty, and that's
all you'd wish