DEFIANT LOOKS--THE SPIRIT OF ILL-WILL INCREASES--SOME "VERY KIND INTENTIONS"--DICK'S PERSECUTORS--IN THE MIDSHIPMEN'S MESS--PADDY LOGAN AND TOADY VOULES--THE LAST LOOK AT OLD ENGLAND--THE FIRST ENCOUNTER--MR BITTS TO THE RESCUE--IDEAS OF REVENGE--A SAIL ON THE LEE BOW--PREPARING FOR ACTION--A FIERCE BATTLE--THE WOLF VICTORIOUS--BRAVERY OF DICK--HARD WORK TO KEEP THE PRIZE AFLOAT--BOUND FOR PLYMOUTH WITH THE PRIZE. The frigate's sails were loose, the crew at the capstan tramped round to the merry sound of the fife, the boatswain's pipe was heard shrilly repeating the orders he received; the sails were sheeted home, the anchor came to the bows, was catted and fished, and the _Wolf_, with canvas widespread to the breeze, glided majestically through the waters of the Solent. Dick wisely kept as much as possible out of the way of Lord Reginald. When they occasionally came in sight of each other, he did not fail to remark the angry look the young lord cast at him, while he himself could not help glancing at the other's arm, still in a sling. "That young ruffian's insolence is unbearable!" exclaimed Lord Reginald, on one occasion, turning away and addressing Voules, whom he happened to meet. "I wish that he had been caught on shore, when he would have been sent off to prison, and we should not have been troubled with him here. I was half inclined to denounce him as a fugitive from justice when I first saw him on board; but as we wanted hands, I thought that the captain would not thank me." "We'll pay him off somehow or other," answered Voules. "I'll find the means to do it, and he'll wish he had been sent to prison before he stepped on the _Wolf's_ decks." "I say, Oswald, what's happened to your arm?" asked Charles Ludlam, the senior mate of the berth, in which most of the members of their mess happened to be collected. "A blow I received on it," answered Lord Reginald, not being willing to explain matters. "He got it while attempting in a very gallant way to seize a fellow who was suspected of being a smuggler," observed Voules, coming to his friend's rescue. "You may depend upon it that Oswald would have caught him if it had not been for that." "Faith! What business had he to be trying to seize a smuggler?" asked Paddy Logan, who was no admirer of Lord Reginald, and still less of Voules. The latter was somewhat puzzled how to reply. "In support of the law which you Irish fellows delight in breaking," he at length answered. "Do you dare to cast reflections on the honour of Irishmen?" exclaimed Logan, firing up. "Naval officers are not expected to be excisemen. Of course the fellow had every right to defend himself." "I cast no reflections on the honour of Irishmen, but you yourself show your readiness to take the part of a lawless character," answered Voules. "Besides, the young scoundrel had previously grossly insulted Oswald and me."