bugle we were all to pull to the headmost gun-boat and board her. D'ye
understand, messmate?"

"Perfectly," replied Ben, taking his pipe out to reply.

"Well, then, just hand me the pot." My father drained it this time, and
told me to go for another.

"Then I shall lose the story," replied I.

"No, boy, you won't," replied Ben; "I'll answer for it your father will
heave-to till you come back."

"So I will, Jack," replied my father. And having with every expedition
executed my task, my father then continued:

"Well, there we all were, waiting for the bugle, each boat creeping on a
little every moment, so as to have a fair start, as they do in a race;
when at last the signal was given, and away we all went like smoke,
with our oars bending double. The first pinnace reached the gun-boat
first; then the cutters banged alongside of her--all three of us to
windward--while the second pinnace and launch took her to leeward.
There's not much climbing in getting on board of a gun-boat; indeed, we
were at it before we were out of the boat, for the Frenchmen had pikes
as long as the spanker-boom; but we soon got inside of their points, and
came to close work. They stood a good tussle, I will say that, and so
they always do. We may laugh at 'em, and call 'em Johnny Crapows, but
they are a right brave nation, if they aren't good seamen; but that I
reckon's the fault of their lingo, for it's too noisy to carry on duty
well with, and so they never will be sailors till they larn English."