hip of war, was to fall in with us? That would be a happy
thing."

"I don't know," answered Tommy. "Perhaps they would cut our throats and
throw us overboard, just in revenge. They look as if they were up to
anything of that sort."

"No no, Tommy! Don't be cast down. I would run the risk of that, for,
rough as they are, I don't think they would do anything as bad as that."

At length the town of Point a Petre, in the island of Dominique,
appeared in sight. All this time they had not seen Mr Collinson, nor
had they been able to hear anything about him. When the ship came to an
anchor, they were ordered below. After some time they were called on
deck, and they then saw that a French boat with six soldiers was
alongside.

"You Englishmen, get into that boat!" shouted the mulatto captain.

They of course obeyed. As soon as they were in her, they saw Mr
Collinson, who had just then come up on deck, look over the side.

"Glad, sir, to see that no harm has happened to you," shouted Jack. "We
hope you are coming with us."

"I believe I am, my men; and thanks to you for your kind wishes,"
answered Mr Collinson, who just then turned round to shake hands with
the surgeon. Directly afterwards, he came down the side into the boat.

As soon as they landed, they were taken up before a military officer,
who cross-questioned them, by means of an interpreter, addressing Mr
Collinson directly in French.

"You are to be sent into the interior," said the interpreter, "and you
will there remain, till the war is concluded."

Their examination being over, they were taken away by the guards who had
them in charge. Mr Collinson had, fortunately, his purse in his pocket
with a few gold pieces.

"Now, my men," he said, "I wish to lay this out to the best advantage of
us all. If I spend it in clothing, which we all very much want, we
shall have nothing to buy food. I will, therefore, reserve it for an
emergency."

The lieutenant, however, supplied the party with hats, which they very
much wanted. Though shoes would have been pleasant, they could still do
without them. Their clothes were, as may be supposed, in a sadly
tattered condition. To obtain new ones, was out of the question. Their
guards, however, allowed them to go to the barber's, where, their hair
being cut, they looked a little less like Robinson Crusoes than they had
hitherto done. They were then marched to the prison, and were all shut
up in a room, wi