men frantically tore
their hair, and swore terribly at us for the trick we had played them.
"Ah! you perfides Anglais, had we been on board our ship, you would not
have taken us so easily," exclaimed the French captain. "Then, sir, you
are welcome to go back and fight it out!" answered our captain. "All,
morbleu lion!" cried the Frenchman, with a shrug of his shoulders, "I
know what sort of fellows you are in this frigate, and I would rather
stay where I am with a whole skin than return to be riddled by your
shot. If my ship escapes, though, do not blame me."

"Certainly not; but I have no intention that she shall escape!" said our
captain, with a bow, directly afterwards ordering all the boats ahead to
tow us towards the enemy. They pulled on till we got her well within
range of our guns, when the painted canvas being cleared away, we opened
fire. In five minutes she hauled down her colours. We found on board
the crew of a large English West Indiaman, captured that morning, and
supposed not to be far off, though not in sight. Depend on it we
whistled with right good will for a breeze. It came at length, and
disguising ourselves as before, and having the French ensign over the
English, we and our big prize made sail in chase. Greatly to our
delight, the merchantman was seen standing boldly towards us, attracted
by the firing. It was amusing to watch the countenances of the French
prisoners--they would have done their best to warn her off had they
dared, but they could only make grimaces at each other, and hurl low
muttered curses on our heads, while their richly-laden prize was
recovered by us. She was a West Indiaman--the _Diana_. I cannot say
much for the beauty of the goddess of the night, for she was a huge
wall-sided ship, capable of stowing away a vast quantity of sugar and
molasses, articles much in request at the time in Europe. The French
prize crew were being removed when the captain sent for me. My heart
fluttered unusually. "Mr Brine, you have behaved very well, very well
indeed, since you joined this ship, and I have much confidence in you,"
he began. I bowed at the compliment--I had an idea that it was
deserved, though I did not say so--I had done two or three things to be
proud of, and I knew that I stood well in the captain's opinion,
although I was not yet a passed midshipman; "I accordingly place you in
command of the _Diana_, more willingly than I should any other
midshipman. You are