"Five or six hours, I believe, more or less," he answered, smiling. "By-the-by, I must apologise for not having before given an account of myself. To the best of my belief, I am the only survivor of the gallant fellows who manned the _Dragon_ privateer, of which I had the honour to be first officer. She carried sixteen guns and a crew of 110 hands, all told." "A privateer!" exclaimed Captain Tracy. "What flag did you sail under? Has England again gone to war? We had heard nothing of it before we left Port Royal." "Oh, that is not surprising--it is scarcely six weeks since England declared war against France," replied the stranger. "We knew what was in the wind, and sailed from Bristol, to which port the _Dragon_ belonged, immediately the news reached us, in search of French homeward-bound ships, hoping to get hold of them before they had heard of the breaking out of war. We had, as you may judge, a quick run to the southward, having on our way made three captures, and by having to send prize crews away in them our strength was considerably diminished. Still our captain, Simon Avery--you may have heard of him, sir--was not the man to give up while there was a chance of falling in with other vessels. Short-handed as we were, we had to keep watch and watch; and yesterday morning, while the watch below were asleep, and most of the hands on deck much in the same state, the ship was struck by a squall, and before sheet or brace could be let go, over she went and began to fill. I had just time, with three others, to get hold of a half-hatch, to cut some spars adrift, and to shove off to a distance, when down she went, carrying with her every soul on board. I don't wish to harrow the young lady's feelings by describing the scene. A few floated up and shouted out for help, but we couldn't give it, for our own raft was already loaded. Before many minutes were over, even the stoutest swimmers had sunk beneath the surface. I had got hold of an axe and a coil of rope, and we managed to lash the spars to a grating. While so employed, one of the men slipped off; as he couldn't swim, he was drowned, and thus we had more room. The sea rapidly got up, and now another of my companions was washed away, and then the last. I secured myself to the raft, resolved to struggle for life while I had strength; but had not, fortunately, your ship stood towards me, and your brave mate gallantly hauled me on board, I should to a certainty have been lost." "I am very thankful, sir, that my mate was the means of saving you," said Captain Tracy; "you cannot praise him too highly. He has sailed with me since he first came to sea, and though he took to the life somewhat later than most people do, he has become a better seaman than many of his elders." "I don't doubt it, sir; I should judge from his looks that he is all you describe him to be," answered the stranger.