Part 2 (1/2)

While the frigate sailed on, the creere repairing as far as possible the daes she had received; for at that season of the year it was probable that another galeup, which she was as yet ill-prepared to encounter The ue, but they worked on bravely, as true-hearted seamen always do hen necessity demands their exertions

Meantime Paul was summoned below The ain assembled in the berth; but the places of several were vacant They were eating a hurriedthe events of the fight One or two of the youngsters were rather graver than usual, but Paul thought that the rest took matters onderful indifference He was anxious to knohat had happened to Devereux, whom he had seen carried below badly wounded

nobody mentioned hiht After a tih, he had so that he would find his way towards the sick bay, where the wounded midshi+pmen and other junior officers were placed, when one of the assistant-surgeons came towards the berth

”Here, boy Gerrard, I can trust you, I think,” he exclaimed ”I want you to stay by Mr Devereux, and to keep continuallyhis wound as I shall direct He is very feverish, and his life may depend on your attention”

Paul felt as he had never felt before, proud and happy at being thus spoken to, and selected by the surgeon to perforh it was for one whoht of an eneht whichmidshi+pman, lately so joyous, with the flush of health on his cheeks, lay pale as death, groaning piteously; his side had been torn open, and a splinter had taken part of the scalp froeon showed him what to do, and then hurried away, for he had eon had been killed by a shot which careatly touched at Devereux's sufferings ”Poor fellow! he cannot possibly live with those dreadful wounds, and yet I aan that he had not an idea that he was to be killed, or even hurt,” he said to hieon's directions Devereux, however, was totally unconscious, and unaas attending on hienerally about the home he had lately left

Once Paul heard hih they kept us long out of our fortune, and now they are beggars as they deserve Hard for the young ones, though, I think; but it cannot be helped--must not think about them”

Such expressions dropped at intervals from the lips of Devereux How he cauess Did he know him, or in any way associate his na?

”He has some sympathy, at all events, poor felloith our ht so ill of him I hope he won't die I will pray that God will spare his life; even if he were eon, when he came his rounds, expressed his approval of the way Paul had ed his patient

”Will he live, sir?” asked Paul, in a tre voice

”That is more than the wisest of us can say,” was the answer

Paul was at length relieved froe by a marine who acted as Devereux's servant He was, however, very unwilling to quit his post

He was feeling more interest in the wounded midshi+pman than he could have supposed possible

Paul, as soon as he could, made his way on deck He wanted to knohat had beco shi+p He looked around; she was nowhere to be seen He inquired what had happened to her She had blown up; and probably nearly all on board had sunk beneath the waves There werein the direction of where the burning shi+p had gone down A speck on the ocean was observed; it was probably part of the wreck, and perhaps so to it The captain ordered a boat to be lowered, for the as so light that the frigate would take a er time than it would to reach the spot The boat pulled away; the ress It seemed, however, doubtful whether any one of their late foes had escaped destruction The crew in the boat th, however, they reached the spot towards which they were rowing

”Anyhow, they've got so,” cried a topman

The boat made a wide circuit round the fatal spot After so to the shi+p

”They have got a man, I do believe,” exclaimed one of the men

”No; to my mind it is only adown from his work into the boat

”They've picked up a few other things, though, but it's a poor haul, I fear”

When the boat ca boy in a French uniform was handed up and placed on the deck He looked around with a bewildered air, as if not knohere he was Captain Walford then took him kindly by the hand, and told him that he should be well cared for, and that he would find friends instead of those he had lost The boy sighed

”What! are all, all gone?” he asked in French

”I fear so,” answered the captain ”But you are cold and wet, and you eon, ill attend to you”