“My captain lies there,” he said, and he pointed to a body concealed beneath a flag; “another of my brother officers is killed, the rest are wounded, and I alone am unhurt.”
Mr Bramston complimented him on his bravery, and told him to prepare for going on board the frigate.
Meantime other boats came alongside and removed the crew of the prize, which proved to be the Soleil carrying eighteen guns and six carronades, with a crew of one hundred and eighty men, upwards of thirty of whom were killed or wounded.
Mr Bramston sent me back with this information. The captain at once decided to remove the prisoners, and send the prize to Port Royal.
As no time was to be lost, the boats were lowered, and the prisoners soon brought on board.
The captain at once sent for Nettleship, Tom, and me.
“I intend to send you in charge of the prize, Mr Nettleship,” he said, “and these two youngsters can accompany you. Fifteen men are all I can spare you, so you must make the most of them. All the prisoners will be removed, with the exception of about a dozen, who may volunteer to assist in working the ship, so that you’ll easily look after them.”
“Thank you, sir, for the confidence you place in me,” said Nettleship, who would gladly have accepted the command, even if he had had but half a dozen men.
Tom and I promised to do our best, and hurried below to get our traps ready.
I took care to apply for Larry, and to remind him to bring his riddle with him, but I didn’t hear what other men were selected to form the prize crew. Ten of the Frenchmen only could be induced to promise their assistance. Tom and I, without loss of time, accompanied Nettleship on board. As soon as the dead were put overboard, the decks washed down, and the damages the prize had received were repaired, the men who had come from the frigate to assist us returned to her. She stood to the southward, and we made sail for Port Royal. Among the first men on whom my eyes fell was Dan Hoolan, looking as sulky and morose as ever, though he was going about his work with more activity than he generally displayed. As I caught sight of the rest of the crew, I found that three more of the Irishmen pressed with him were among them.