It was fortunate that Bramble mentioned this.  I went aft with the handspike in my hand, and when I was about to look over, I met face to face a Frenchman, who had climbed out of the starboard quarter-gallery, and was just gaming the deck.  A blow with the handspike sent him overboard, and he went astern; but another was following him, and I stood prepared to receive him.  It was the officer in command, who spoke English.  He paused at the sight of the other man falling overboard and my uplifted handspike; and I said to him, “It’s of no use—­look at the English men-of-war close to you:  if you do not go back to the cabin, and keep your men quiet, when the men-of-war’s men come on board we will show you no quarter.”

We were now entering the Medway; and the Frenchman perceived that they could not escape, and would only bring mischief on themselves by any farther assaults, so he got into the quarter-gallery again, and spoke to his men.  As soon as I perceived that he was entering, I ran over to the other side to the larboard quarter-gallery, and there again I found a Frenchman had nearly gained the deck.  I levelled the handspike at his head, but he dodged, and returned to the cabin by the way he came; and after that there were no more attempts at recovering the vessel.  In five minutes more we were abreast of the Euphrosyne, Sir James O’Connor’s frigate, which was now lying, with only her lower masts in, alongside of the hulk.  I hailed for assistance, and let fly the foretop-mast staysail sheet, while Bramble rounded the ship to.  The boats were sent on board immediately; and as we had not a cable bent, they made the ship fast to the hulk astern of them.  We stated our case in few words to the officer; and having ascertained that Sir James O’Connor was on board, requested that we might be sent to the frigate.

“Is it you?” said Sir James, as I came on the gangway; “what is it all about—­are you hurt?  Come down in the cabin.”

Bramble and I followed him down into the cabin; and I stated the whole particulars of the capture and re-capture.

“Excellent—­most excellent!  I wish you both joy; but first we must have the surgeon here” Sir James rang the bell; and when the surgeon came he went on deck to give orders.

[Illustration:  I MET FACE TO FACE A FRENCHMAN.—­Marryat, Vol.  X., p. 493.]

The ball had passed through my leg, so that the surgeon had little to do to me.  Bramble’s finger was amputated, and in a few minutes we were all right, and Sir James came down again.

“I should say, stay on board till you are able to get about again; but the ship will be paid off to-morrow, so I had better send you up to Chatham directly.  You are entitled to salvage if ever men were, for you have earned it gloriously; and I will take care that you are done justice to.  I must go now and report the vessel and particulars to the admiral, and the first lieutenant will send you to Chatham in one of the cutters.  You’ll be in good hands, Tom, for you will have two nurses.”