not explain," he said. "There was not time. I had work to do--a
task that I had promised to fulfil, and we held on till it was forced
upon me that I must get another vessel or stand with my men upon the
deck and let our brave _Roi Dagobert_ sink beneath our feet."

"That wasn't her name at Havre," said the downright skipper.

"No, sir," said the officer, smiling; "but were we not pursued? Would
not news of our escape be sent far and wide? We were obliged to assume
another disguise. The _Jeanne d'Arc_, we said, sank at Havre. That is
the _Roi Dagobert_ floating still; but for how long?"

"I don't quite see that," said the skipper bluntly.

"No?" said the officer. "Monsieur has never passed long years as a
prisoner of war."

"Well, no," grunted the skipper. "Maybe that might have made me a bit
shifty."

"There, sir," said the officer, turning now to Uncle Paul; "that is my
excuse for this desperate venture--this attempt to seize your vessel.
My business is urgent. I am a nobleman, a count of the French Empire,
and I offer you any recompense you like to name if you will give up to
me your vessel, leaving me full command for a week--a month--such time
as I may need."

"And if I say, sir, that I cannot accede to what you must own are wild
demands," said Uncle Paul, "what then?"

"What then?" said the officer slowly.

"You mean that you will attack us, and the strongest wins?"

The officer was silent, and he turned his eyes upon his son, who left
Rodd and took his extended hands, both standing silent for a few
moments.

"No, sir," he said at last, slowly and gravely. "Neither my son nor I
can raise our hands against those who gave us liberty, almost life.
Morny, my boy, we will do our duty to the last, and try to keep the poor
_Roi Dagobert_ afloat. She may live long enough, even as she has kept
afloat so long. If she sinks with us--well, my boy, we shall have done
our duty to him we serve, and our names may not be forgotten in our
country's rolls."

There was silence for a few moments, which was broken at last by Rodd.

"But I say, uncle," he cried eagerly, "you always said you had plenty of
time, and--"

The young officer turned quickly upon the speaker with an eager
questioning look, but before Uncle Paul could speak, Captain Chubb took
off his cap and stood scratching his head in the now bright morning
sunshine.

"Look here, Mr Count," he said; "I am only a rough Englishman, and a
lot of wh