Dispirited and disheartened by the fall of their Captain, and seeing their mate desperately wounded, the crew of the schooner threw down their arms and surrendered. During this contest on board the schooner, the Vengeance, in her crippled state, had kept up a constant fire upon the Babet, but a dense fog again setting in, accompanied by drizzling ruin, shut out all objects around. “Are you much hurt, William?” demanded O’Loughlin, anxiously, of the midshipman, as he sat on the cabin hatch, letting Bill Saunders bind up his wound on the head with a handkerchief. “No, nothing of any consequence,” replied our hero, rising up, and looking around; “but where is the lugger?” “To the deuce with the lugger!” cried Captain O’Loughlin; “jump on board and pacify the women; they are frightened out of their wits, and have got it into their heads you are killed.” The young man jumped on to the deck of the Babet, and in another minute was in the cabin. Mabel gave a cry of joy, and the girls, shaking him by the hand, expressed their joy at his safety—hoping that Captain O’Loughlin was unhurt, and, indeed, anxious for the safety of all on board. “Our gallant Captain is quite safe,” replied our hero, petting his little favourite, who clung to him with sweet affection. “You have had a terrible fight, Master Thornton,” observed Madame Volney; “and you are hurt.” “We certainly had a sharp brush whilst it lasted,” said our hero; “but, as to my hurt, it is nothing. O’Loughlin has persuaded me that I am an Irishman, and, consequently, my head is composed of harder material than heads are usually. Now, having proved I am alive, I must leave you, and help my Commander to clear the vessels,” and, kissing Mabel, he hurried up on deck. The schooner was named the Bon-Citoyen, and had been commanded by the late Victor Chabot, whose brother-in-law was Captain of the Vengeance. It was a valuable prize; having a large sum of money on board, besides some valuable cargo, previously taken from English ships. It was finally settled between Captain O’Loughlin and our hero that the latter should run the schooner, with ten men, to Plymouth, keeping company with the Babet as long as circumstances or weather would permit. Accordingly, after the prisoners had been disposed of, and the dead committed to the deep, Thornton proceeded to bid the females farewell for a time. This separation annoyed them all. Mabel was in tears, and almost felt inclined to ask to go in the schooner with her friend. “We shall be alongside all the time, Mabel,” observed her young protector, “so keep up your spirits. We shall meet again in England in a couple of days.”