ssion, none
would have guessed the sufferings he had once endured--"now let me
understand. Therefore, speak definitely and frankly. You have thrown
in your lot forever with England."

"Forever," St. Georges replied.

"Without fear of change, eh?" the admiral said. "Remember--recall
before we sail to-night--all you are doing. If you fight on our side
now, there will be--henceforth--no tie between you and France. That
dukedom of which you told me once is gone forever, no matter how
clearly you may find your title to it. Louis will never forgive the
work we mean to do. If you are English to-day--for the next week, the
next month--you are English for always."

"I have come down here," St. Georges replied, his voice firm, his
words spoken slowly, so that Rooke knew that henceforth his resolution
would never be shaken, "to fight on England's side against France.
There will be no wavering! If I fall, I fall an Englishman; if I
survive, I am an Englishman for the rest of my life. I renounce my
father's people, whomsoever that father may have been, provided he was
a Frenchman: I acknowledge only my mother's. Short of one thing--my
endeavour to regain my child."

"How is that to be accomplished? If you survive this which we are
about to undertake, your life will be forfeited in France."

"It is forfeited already. Remember, sir, I am still, in the eyes of
the law of France, a galley slave. That alone is death, or worse than
death. In the future when I go, as I intend to go if I live, upon
another quest for her I have lost, I shall be in no worse case. Only,
then, it will be the halter and not the galleys. So best!"

"Be it so," the admiral replied. "Henceforth you belong to us. Now,
this is what I can do for you. Listen. I find there is a place for you
here on this very ship. You know something of seamanship from your
bitter experiences; as a soldier, also, you understand discipline. The
master's mate of this ship was drowned a week ago; you can try the
post if you please. And when the campaign is over, it may be that I
can find you a better one."

"I accept, with thanks," St. Georges said. "I adopt from to-day your
calling. Henceforth I am an English sailor."

"Come, then, and see your captain," Rooke replied; "you will find him
a good one, and hating France as much as you can desire."

He followed the admiral to another cabin, where they found the
captain, who was Lord Danby--Rooke's flagship being now the Windsor
Ca