e possession of this schooner, as a prize
of war, and take the captain and crew as prisoners of war."

At this Claude stared at the officer once more, utterly stupefied.

"Mon Dieu!" he cried, at length. "Are you a Frenchman? Is your
captain a French gentleman? Do you know, monsieur, what you are
doing? We have saved some shipwrecked Frenchmen; we have carried them
to a place of safety; and for this we are arrested! This honest man,
the captain, might expect a reward for his generosity; and what does
he get? Why, he is seized as a prisoner of war, and his schooner is
made a prize! Is there any chivalry left in France? Are these the
acts of Frenchmen? Great Heavens! Has it come to this?"

"Monsieur," said the officer, "be calm, I implore you. All this gives
me the most exquisite distress. But I must obey orders."

"You are right," said Claude. "You are a subordinate. I am wasting
words to talk with you. Take me to your captain, or to the Count de
Cazeneau. Let me learn what it is that induces him to act towards us
with such unparalleled baseness."

"Monsieur, I shall be happy to do all that I can. I will take you to
the Aigle,--under guard,--and you will be a prisoner there. I hope
that his excellency will accord you the favor of an interview."

All this time Zac had been a silent spectator of the scene. He had
not understood the words that were spoken, but he had gathered the
general meaning of this scene from the gestures and expression of the
two speakers. The presence, also, of the armed guard was enough to
show him that the blow which he dreaded had fallen. And now, since
the worst had happened, all his uneasiness departed, and he resumed
all the vigor of his mind. He at once decided upon the best course to
follow, and that course was to be emphatically one of quiet, and
calmness, and cool watchfulness. Claude had become excited at this
event; Zac had become cool.

"Wal," said he, advancing towards Claude, "it's just as I said. I
allus said that these here frog-eatin' Frenchmen wan't to be trusted;
and here, you see, I was right. I see about how it is. The poor,
unfort'nate Parson's done for, an' I'm in for it, too, I s'pose."

Claude turned, and gave Zac a look of indescribable distress.

"There's some infernal villain at work, Zac," said he, "out of the
common course, altogether. I'm arrested myself."

"You? Ah!" said Zac, who did not appear to be at all surprised. "You
don't say so! Wal, you've got the