"I am on board the 'Molly,' Captain Knox, an American privateer, safe and sound, in full health and fair spirits, thanks to the good God who has watched over me.

It would be a long story to tell you how I came here; that I will reserve till we meet.

When the British commander found he could not _make_ me pilot him into Fairport, he put for the open sea, and there we took the gale.

A real tear-away it was, and raked the old ship well-nigh clean from stem to stern; but they rigged her up again, and had her skimming the seas like a duck before two days were over.

I had to leave Hal Hutchings on board of her; they claimed him for an English subject.