Dolly, be off to bed, this moment."
"Well, now," said the Rector, drawing near, and filling another
deliberative pipe, "I have no right to ask what your orders were, and
perhaps you have no right to tell me. But as to the ship that remains in
my parish, or at any rate on its borders, if you can tell me anything,
I shall be very grateful, both as a question of parochial duty, and also
because of the many questions I am sure to have to answer from my wife
and daughter."
"There is no cause for secrecy; I will tell you everything:" the Admiral
hated mystery. "Why, the London papers will publish the whole of it, and
a great deal more than that, in three days' time. I have sent off the
Leda with her prize to Portsmouth. With this easterly breeze and smooth
water, they will get there, crippled as they are, in some twenty-four
hours. There the wounded will be cared for, and the prisoners drafted
off. The Blonde, the corvette which is aground, surrendered, as you
know, when she found herself helpless, and within range of our new
battery. Stubbard's men longed to have a few shots at her; but of course
we stopped any such outrage. Nearly all her officers and most of her
crew are on board the Leda, having given their parole to attempt no
rising; and Frenchmen are always honourable, unless they have some very
wicked leader. But we left in the corvette her captain, an exceedingly
fine fellow, and about a score of hands who volunteered to stay to help
to work the ship, upon condition that if we can float her, they shall
have their freedom.
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