-east, which it was evident
were some of the squadron that had escaped on the previous evening.
They were, however, standing in towards the land.

Captain Waring, after consultation with his first lieutenant and master,
determined to let them escape. He had already three hundred and forty
prisoners on board, while his own crew amounted to only one hundred and
ninety. Should he take another prize, he would have still further to
diminish the number of the ship's company, while that of the prisoners
would be greatly increased. The French and American captains had come
on deck, and were standing apart, watching the distant vessels.

"I hope these Englishmen will take one of those fellows," observed
Captain Gregory to Monsieur Saint Julien.

"Why so, my friend?" asked the latter.

"They deserve it, in the first place, and then it would be a question
who gets command of this ship. We are pretty strong already, and if
your people would prove staunch, we might turn the tables on our
captors," said the American.

"Comment!" exclaimed Captain Saint Julien, starting back. "You forget
dat we did pledge our honour to behave peaceably, and not to interfere
with the discipline of the ship. French officers are not accustomed to
break their parole. You insult me by making the proposal, and I hope
dat you are not in earnest."

"Oh, no, my friend, I was only joking," answered the American skipper,
perceiving that he had gone too far.

Officers of the U.S. Navy, we may here remark, have as high a sense of
honour as any English or French officer, but this ship was only a
privateer, with a scratch crew, some of them renegade Englishmen, and
the Captain was on a level with the lot.

The Frenchman looked at him sternly. "I will be no party to such a
proceeding," he observed.

"Oh, of course not, of course not, my friend," said Captain Gregory,
walking aside.

It being finally decided to allow the other French vessels to escape,
the _Foxhound's_ yards were squared away, and a course shaped for
Plymouth, with the two prizes in company.

Soon after noon the wind fell, and the ships made but little progress.
The British crew had but a short time to sleep or rest, it being
necessary to keep a number of men under arms to watch the prisoners.

The Frenchmen were placed on the lower deck, where they sat down by
themselves; but the Americans mixed more freely with the English. As
evening approached, however, they also drew off