PRINGLE'S ADVICE. 177 "I thought that I had observed, when I first came on board, a spare compass, and boat compass," observed Mr. Nott. But the Frenchmen, on being interrogated, all declared that they were not aware that there were any others, and said that if there were they were private property, and that the captain had taken them with him. The other Frenchmen appeared to be very angry at what their countrymen had done, and did their best to ingratiate themselves with Mr. Nott. The difficulty was now to know how to steer. The midshipman's knowledge of navigation was put to a severe test. While the sky was clear, either by night or by day, it was tolerably easy to steer, more or less to the eastward; but whether they should hit the chops of the channel, or run on shore on the coast of Ireland or France, or the Scilly Islands, it was impossible to say. "We must do our best, sir, and trust in Providence," observed Paul Pringle, to the young officer. "Only there's one thing I'd do-I'd rather steer to the nor'ard than to the south'ard of our course, so as to avoid the chance of running ashore on the Frenchman's coast. Of all the places I should hate most, it would be a French prison." "So should I, indeed," answered the midshipman. "They treat our poor fellows they get hold of with the greatest cruelty; all because they have done their duty, and manfully fought for their King and country, and because they themselves have cut off their King's head, and want to make everybody as bad as they are." "That's it, sir-that's it," answered Paul, warmly. "That's the reason why I think that it's perfectly right and natural-like to hate the French, or at all events N their goings on, and to try and prevent any Englishman ever being like them.” True Blue was certainly not of a suspicious disposition; but he could not help watching the Frenchmen. He whispered his ideas also to Harry and Tim Fid, who agreed to keep a watchful eye on the prisoners. This was just the sort of work Tim did like. Little did the Frenchmen think how narrowly all their proceedings were noted. Fid soon remarked, that when either of the Frenchmen was at the helm, one of the others was constantly going to a chest in the fore-peak, and looking steadily into it. His curiosity was, therefore, aroused to ascertain what it was they went to look at. He reflected how he could discover this without being seen. Some of the crew slept in the bunks, or standing bedplaces, arranged along the sides of the vessel, but others in hammocks. The hammocks were, however, not sent up on deck every day as they are on board of a man-ofwar. One of these hung over the Frenchman's chests, and into it Tim stowed himself away, making the lower surface smooth with the blankets, so that the form of his body should not be observed. A slight slit in the canvass enabled him to breathe and to look down below him. Poor Fid had to watch a considerable time, however, and felt sadly cramped, and almost stifled, without being the wiser for all the trouble he had taken. The Frenchmen were there; but first Tom Marline came below, and then Hartland, and then the Black; and the Frenchmen sat on the lockers cutting out beef-bones into various shapes, and polishing them. At last, all but one man went on deck; and then he jumped up, and instantly going to the chest opened it; and FID'S WATCH BELOW. 179 then Tim saw clearly a compass, and moreover, that the brig was steering a course considerably to the southward of east. The Frenchman then put his head up through the fore-hatchway, took a look round, and then again diving into the fore-peak, had another glance at the compass. "That's it," thought Tim; " True Blue is right. The Frenchmen intend to run us near their own coast, and then rise on us, or they hope to fall in with one of their own cruisers and be retaken. Small blame to them." The thread of this soliloquy was interrupted by his observing the Frenchman go to a chest on the opposite side, which, when opened, he saw was full of arms, cutlasses, long knives and pistols. The man sat down by the side of it, and deliberately began to load one after the other, and then to arrange the knives and dirks, so that they could in an instant be drawn out for use. "Ho, ho," thought Tim. "That's your plan is it? Two can play at that game; we will shew you." Fid was now very anxious to get out of his hidingplace, and to go and tell True Blue what he had seen. The Frenchman, however, after he had made all his arrangements, put a brace of pistols into his pocket. and stuck a dirk into his belt, concealed by his jacket, sat down on a locker, and, with the greatest apparent unconcern, pursued his usual occupation of bonecutting. Fid grew more and more impatient. He waited some time longer; then he saw the man prick up his ears and listen eagerly. Presently there was the sound of The Frenchman sprang up the a scuffle on deck. ladder through the fore-hatchway. As he did so, a key fell from his pocket. The moment he was gone, Fid jumped out of his hiding-place, picked up the key, applied it to the chest which contained the arms—the lid flew open. He drew out several brace of pistols and a bundle of dirks. He stuck as many of both into his belt and pockets as he could carry, and hid the others in the hammock in which he had been concealed, while the key he also hid away. All was done as quick as lightning. Then, with a pistol in one hand and a dirk in the other, he followed the Frenchman up the hatch-way. As he did so, he chanced to cast his eye aloft, when he saw True Blue in the fore-rigging. He signed to him to come on deck. Billy saw him, and slid down rapidly by the foretopmast-stay. On looking aft, they saw Hartland and Mr. Nott stretched on the deck, apparently lifeless, while the three Frenchmen, with the Black, were making a furious attack on Tom Marline, who had the helm, while Paul Pringle stood by defending him with a boat's stretcher. Neither Pringle nor Marline had arms, while two of the Frenchmen and the Black had dirks, and the third Frenchman, as Fid knew, had pistols. Fid immediately handed a brace of pistols and a dirk to True Blue, and together they rushed aft. Paul saw them coming, but the Frenchmen did not. One of them had cocked his pistol, and was taking a deliberate aim at Paul, when True Blue, who at that instant had reached the quarterdeck, lifted his arm and fired. The Frenchman staggered a few paces, fired his pistol in the air, and then fell to the deck. To prevent his companions from seizing his weapons, Fid had drawn |