I will go on board
the flag-ship at once and report as to the prizes. Who they belong to I
have not the least idea. I never heard of a transport capturing a couple
of privateers before; but, I suppose, as she is taken up for the king's
service and the prizes were captured by his Majesty's troops, they will
rank as if taken by the navy, that is, a certain amount of their value
will go to the admiral. Anyhow, the bulk of it will go, I should think, to
the troops--the crew and officers of the ship, of course, sharing."
"It won't come to much a head, Colonel, anyhow. You see, they were both
empty, and there is simply the value of the ships themselves, which I
don't suppose would fetch above five or six hundred apiece."
"Still, the thing must be done in a regular way, and I must leave it in
the admiral's hands. I will take your boat, Major, and go to him at once.
You will find pen and ink in my cabin, and I should be glad if you would
write your report by the time that I return; then I will go off at once to
Sir Arthur."
"I have it already written, Colonel," the major said, producing the
document.
"That looks to me rather long, Harrison, and busy as Sir Arthur must be,
he might not take the trouble to read it. I wish you would write out
another, as concise as you can make it, of the actual affair, saying at
the end that you beg to report especially the conduct of Ensign O'Connor,
to whose suggestions the escape of the ship both from the privateers and
French frigate were due.
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