he might not take the trouble to read it. I wish you would write out
another, as concise as you can make it, of the actual affair, saying at
the end that you beg to report especially the conduct of Ensign O'Connor,
to whose suggestions the escape of the ship both from the privateers and
French frigate were due. I will hand that in as the official report, and
with it the other, saying that it gives further details of the affair. Of
course, with them I must give in an official letter from myself, inclosing
your two reports. But first I will go and see the admiral."

In a little over half an hour he returned. "The admiral knows no more than
I do whether the navy have anything to do with the prizes or not. Being so
small in value he does not want to trouble himself about it. He says that
the matter would entail no end of correspondence and bother, and that the
crafts might rot at their anchors before the matter was decided. He thinks
the best thing that I can do will be to sell the two vessels for what they
will fetch, and divide the money according to prize rules, and say nothing
about it. In that way there is not likely ever to be any question about
it, while if the Admiralty and Horse Guards once get into a correspondence
over the matter, there is no saying what bother I might have; and that he
should advise me, if I do not adopt that plan, to simply scuttle them
both, and report that they have sunk. Now I will just write my official
letter and take it to head-quarters."

In two hours he was back again.

"I have not seen the chief," he said, "but I gave the reports to his
adjutant-general. General Fane was with him; he is an old friend of mine,
and I told him the story of your voyage, and the adjutant-general joined
in the conversation. Fane was waiting to go in to Sir Arthur, who was
dictating some despatches to England, and he said that if he had a chance