ip's boy, and treat me
accordingly."

"I hope, Nat, I shall always treat you as a true friend, for such you
have been to me," said Owen.

There was no time to lose. Owen managed to wash his hands and brush his
hair, so that he might appear as neat as possible.

Mr Stewart had the watch, but Ashurst was in the cabin. He looked hard
at Owen as he entered, supposing that he had come to receive some
orders, or to wait at table. The two French officers were about to take
their seats.

"I am glad to see you, Hartley," said Mr Leigh, when he came in.

Ashurst stared, and the colour rose to his brow.

"Messieurs," said Mr Leigh, turning to the French officers, "I beg to
introduce this young gentleman to you. Ashurst, I now make him known to
you as I intend to employ him as my clerk, and he will soon become your
messmate, for I have little doubt, if he wishes it, when we return to
the frigate, that Captain Stanhope will place him as a midshipman on the
quarter-deck."

The first impulse of Ashurst on hearing this was to get up from the
table, but he sat down again and fixed his eyes on Owen without saying a
word. Owen, who at first felt somewhat strange at being thus suddenly
introduced into the society of gentlemen, soon recovered himself, and
behaved as might have been expected. He addressed Mr Leigh with
freedom but perfect propriety, and spoke to the French officers in their
own language. Although the eldest understood a little English, yet he
expressed himself with difficulty in it.

Whenever Ashurst looked at him it was with a frown on his brow. He did
not once speak to him, even though Mr Leigh attempted to make him do
so. The dinner was got over rapidly, for it was not a time when the
commanding officer could be long absent from the deck. The weather
continued as before. So great was the strain on the cable that it
appeared every instant ready to part. Hands were stationed at the
stoppers of the second, ready to let it go should the first fail.

Owen had been sent into the cabin to make out some lists from notes
which Mr Leigh gave him, the French lieutenant having supplied him with
writing materials for the purpose.

Mr Leigh called Ashurst, who was on deck, to come to him.

"I am surprised at your conduct to young Hartley," he said. "I have
myself observed it, and I should have supposed, now that I have thought
fit to place him on the quarter-deck, that you would have welcomed him
as a messmat