By this time the topsails were at the masthead aboard the frigate, and the anchor weighed, and she stood quietly out of the bay, and hove to. The French ensign was then hauled down, and with three roaring cheers from our ship's company, the red flag of Old England was run up in its stead. In a short time crews were put on board the prizes, the boats were hoisted in, and we shaped our course for the Channel. What do you think o' that now, sir, for a clever move?" [Footnote 20: Marines.] [Footnote 21: Soldiers.] "Capital, capital! I never heard a better. But what part of the play did Mr Dalzell and you act?" "Oh, I says nuthen. I knows who was the first officer to mount the battery, and who was the man as trod upon his heels; but that is neither here nor there. Kelso for ever! says I. I says nuthen." I could not help laughing at Tom's expressive "nuthens." "Kelso for ever, indeed!" said I. "Then the two Kelso men were foremost, eh?" "It's of no use denying it, sir, or making a secret of what's no secret at all. I believe that job was the 'casion of Mr Dalzell's having a swab tacked to his shoulder." "A swab!--what's a swab?" "It's what you long-shore gemmen calls an appleeat,[22] I believe, sir; a bunch o' gold yarns a leaftennan wears on his shoulder." [Footnote 22: Epaulette.] "Oh, ay! I understand." "Oh, how pleased he was when he got his commission some time after; and pleased was I to see his happy face, for I knowed he was a-thinking of the bonny lass he left behind him at Kelso. I hope he'll soon take her in tow now for life." Great was the sorrow the good-hearted fellow expressed, when I told him of Dalzell's disappointment. He swore he would find Grace Douglas, if she were above ground; and that he would leave no means untried, as long as he had health and strength to persevere. "Well, but how did you lose your arm, Tom?" "Oh, your honour, it was in that 'ere action with the Flower-de-louce. We were blazing away at each other as hard as we could lather, and I had jumped into the main-chains to do something I was ordered, when, crack! a musket-ball strikes me on the arm, and I fell overboard as helpless as a sucking-pig; and I'd have gone down like a pig of lead, if Leaftennan Dalzell hadn't banged overboard after me, and supported me to the rudder chains, where we hung till they gave us a rope. Long life to him! says I--I lost my arm, but I got a pension, and we both on us got lots o' prize money." At this point of Tom's yarn, Mr Dalzell called to me through the window-- "Here are some young visiters coming, Mr Thomson." I looked out, and replied-- "Oh, they are my two boys. I forgot to tell you that I am a father as well as a husband. The little fellows have been with their nurse, spending the forenoon at my sister's--the house you see there, through the trees. Let us go and meet them."