By the time sail could be shortened and the ship hauled close on a wind, the frigate was nearer half than a quarter of a mile off.  We had to wait, therefore, until she could beat up to the place where we lay.  This she soon did, making one stretch to the southward, until in a line with the boat, when she tacked, and came toward us, with her yards braced up, but having the wind nearly abeam.  As she got within a cable’s-length, both courses were hauled up and left hanging in the brails.  Then the noble craft came rolling by us, in the trough, passing so near that we might be spoken.  The old officer stood in the weather gangway, with a trumpet, and he hailed, when near enough to be heard.  Instead of asking questions, to satisfy his own curiosity, he merely communicated his own intentions.

“I’ll heave-to, when past you,” he cried out, “waring ship to do so.  You can then drop down under my stern, as close as possible, and we’ll throw you a rope.”

I understood the plan, which was considerate, having a regard to the feebleness of our boat’s crew, and the weight of the boat itself.  Accordingly, when she had room enough, the frigate wore, hauling up close on the other tack, and laying her main-yard square.  As soon as the ship was stationary, Neb cast off the hawser, and Marble and he manned two oars.  We got the boat round without much risk, and, in less time than it takes to write it, were sending down towards the ship at a furious rate.  I steered, and passed so near the frigate’s rudder, that I thought, for an instant, I had gone too close.  A rope was hove as we cleared the lee-quarter of the frigate, and the people on board hauled us alongside.  We caught the man-ropes, and were soon on the quarter-deck.  A respectable-looking elderly man, of a square, compact frame, and a fine ruddy English face, in a post-captain’s undress, received me, with an extended hand, and a frank, generous, hearty manner.

“You are welcome on board the Briton,” he said, warmly; “and I thank God that he has put it in our power to relieve you.  Your ship must have been lost quite recently, as you do not seem to have suffered.  When you feel equal to it, I should like to hear the name of your vessel, and the particulars of her disaster.  I suppose it was in the late blow, which was a whacker, and did lots of mischief along the coast.  I see you are Americans, and that your boat is New York built; but all men in distress are countrymen.”

This was a hearty reception, and one I had every reason to extol.  So long as I stayed with Captain Rowley, as this officer was named, I had no reason to complain of any change in his deportment.  Had I been his son, he could not have treated me more kindly, taking me into his own cabin, and giving me a seat at his own table.  I gave him an outline of what had happened to us, not deeming it necessary to relate the affair with the Speedy, however; simply mentioning the manner in which we had escaped from a French privateer, and leaving him to infer, should he see fit, that the rest of our crew had been carried away on that occasion.  My reserve on the subject of the other capture, the reader will at once see, was merely a necessary piece of prudent caution.