are
gone."

"Agree to do so--pledge yourself to do so, Xavier," cried the French
captain to one of the officers present.

"Since you wish it, certainly," he said.

"You pledge yourself to make the conditions known to Madam, as soon as
we have sailed?"

"I do, upon the honour of an officer and a gentleman," replied he,
"painful as it will be to me."

"Then, captain," I replied, "I agree to your conditions, and one or
the other of us shall hang."

You may suppose, Madam, that I must have been in a state of great
irritation to have consented to such terms. I was so, and could not
brook such insult in the presence of the French officers. Moreover, as
you will observe, in my conversation I did not commit myself in any
way. There was nothing dishonourable. I told him that I should haul
down my flag of truce, and I also told him that he would meet with his
master, which was true enough, as he would meet with the Arrow,
commanded by Captain Levee, as well as with my vessel; while he
thought that he would have to fight with my inferior vessel alone,
and, making sure of conquest, he purposely insulted me, to make me
accept such conditions as would administer to the revenge of his wife,
who had evidently worked him up to act in such a manner; and I
accepted them, because I hoped the fate would be his if Captain Levee
joined me, and if not, I was determined that I never would be taken
alive.

After I had agreed to his conditions, they all took a very ceremonious
leave, and I bowed them out with great mock humility. I then bade
farewell to my passengers, who lodged in the same hotel, and went down
to my boat, and pulled on board. As soon as the tide served, the pilot
came on board, and we got under weigh. I observed a great bustle, and
a hurrying to and fro of boats on board of the French privateer, and
we had not gone above two miles down the river, before I perceived the
men were aloft and lowering her sails. I told my officers that I had
received a challenge from the French privateer, and had accepted it,
and that we must get every thing ready for action. They were much
astonished at this, as the disparity of force was so great, but they
went cheerfully to their duty, as did the men, among whom the news was
soon spread.

CHAPTER X.

Captain Levee and I engage with the French Privateer--We
come off victorious--My revenge against the French
Lady--We take our Prize to Liverpool.

The wind was lig