"Thank you, boys! I am glad to be with you again," responded Tempest.
"But you've seen some good fighting, sir."
"Ay, ay, Scarron, and nearly got drowned," answered the young officer.
"So I heard, sir, so I heard! That was a brave Englishman, that same captain."
"Brave, yes; but do you know, Scarron, he is now saying that the Guerriere was not in fighting trim."
"Ha, ha, ha! That is a good 'un. Why, when Rodgers' fleet was outside New York, didn't that same Dacres send word that the Guerriere could fight and sink the whole of Uncle Sam's navy?"
"So he did, Scarron, so he did. But the Guerriere is at the bottom of the sea now."
"Now, boys!" shouted the captain, "bid good-by to your sweethearts, for we're off to the Indies, and shall not return until we can tow some prizes into port, and then won't we make the dollars jingle? Let us have a rousing good chorus, Mr. Scarron, before we settle down to duty."
"'Charge the can cheerily,
Send it round merrily;
Here's to our country and captains commanding.'"