ce.

"Yes, you booby, I did."

"Well, now, I do declare," cried Prose, with dismay, "if I haven't lost
five pounds."

The vessel ran under the stern of the frigate, and requested a boat to
be sent on board, as she had intelligence to communicate. The boat
returned, and acquainted Captain M--- that the vessel had been boarded
and plundered by a French privateer schooner, which had committed great
depredation in that quarter, and that it was not above eight hours that
she had left her, and made sail towards Porto Rico, taking out two
merchants, who were passengers. The boat was immediately hoisted up,
and all sail made in the direction of the island, which was not above
fifteen leagues distant. As the day closed in, their eyes were
gratified by the sight of the schooner, becalmed close in under the
land. Perceiving the frigate in pursuit of her, and unable to escape,
she came to an anchor in a small and shallow bay, within a cable's
length of the beach. Captain M---, having run his ship as close in as
the depth of water would permit, which was between two and three miles
of her, so as to render her escape impossible, came to an anchor,
signifying to his officers his determination to cut her out with his
boats on the ensuing day.

The officers who were to be intrusted with the command of the boats, and
the crews which were to be employed on the service, were selected, and
mustered on the quarter-deck, previous to the hammocks being piped down,
that the former might hold themselves in readiness, and that the latter
might remain in their hammocks during the night. All was anxiety for
the sun to rise again upon those who were about to venture in the
lottery, where the prizes would be honour, and the blanks--death. There
were but few whose souls were of that decided brute composition that
they could sleep through the whole of the tedious night. They woke and
"swore a prayer or two, then slept again." The sun had not yet made his
appearance above the horizon, although the eastern blush announced that
the spinning earth would shortly whirl the _Aspasia_ into his presence,
when the pipes of the boatswain and his mates, with the summons of "All
hands ahoy--up all hammocks!" were obeyed with the alacrity so
characteristic of English seamen anticipating danger. The hammocks were
soon stowed, and the hands turned up. "Out boats!" The yard tackles
and stays were hooked, and the larger boats from the booms descended
wi