From my messmates I gained the following intelligence of what had passed after I had quitted the brig. The fire of the praam had cut them up severely, and Captain Hawkins had been struck in the arm with a piece of the hammock rail, which had been shot away shortly after I left. Although the skin only was razed, he thought proper to consider himself badly wounded; and giving up the command to Mr Webster, the second lieutenant, had retreated below, where he remained until the action was over. When Mr Webster reported the return of the boats, with the capture of the gun-boat, and my supposed death, he was delighted, that he quite forgot his wound, and ran on deck, rubbing his hands as he walked up and down. At last he recollected himself, went down into his cabin, and came up again with his arm in a sling. During the short time that we remained in port, I took care that _Riga balsam_ should not be allowed to come alongside, and the men were all sober. We received orders from the captain of the _Acasta_ to join the admiral, who was off the Texel, in pursuance of directions he had received from the Admiralty to despatch one of the squadron, and we were selected from the dislike which he had taken to Captain Hawkins. CHAPTER SIXTY. AN OLD FRIEND IN A NEW CASE--HEART OF OAK IN SWEDISH FIR--A MAN'S A MAN, ALL THE WORLD OVER, AND SOMETHING MORE IN MANY PARTS OF IT--PETER GETS REPRIMANDED FOR BEING DILATORY, BUT PROVES A TITLE TO A DEFENCE-ALLOWED. When we were about forty miles off the harbour, a frigate hove in sight. We made the private signal: she hoisted Swedish colours, and kept away a couple of points to close with us.