what were his intentions, and though I should have liked to have
known, I did not ask him. At last I turned in, and tried to go to
sleep. I should not have minded hearing the brig go crash on shore, so
vexed did I feel at the idea of her having escaped. Still I could not
but admire the determination of the two young French officers, and again
better feelings rose in my breast. At length I fell fast asleep. As I
had no watch to keep, I slept on, as usual, until daylight streamed in
through the bull's-eye over my head, when, to my surprise, I heard the
sound of the cable slipping out, and knew that the brig had come to an
anchor. I dressed as speedily as I could, and went on deck. We were in
a fine harbour with numerous vessels of all sizes and nations--Spanish,
French, Dutch, and Danish (the latter predominating)--floating on its
bosom, and among them a frigate, with the colours of England flying at
her peak. I knew, therefore, that we were in a neutral port, for which
Dubois had steered when he found he could not otherwise escape. On
examining the frigate more narrowly, my heart gave a bound, for I felt
almost sure that she was the _Liffy_, but as several vessels were
between us I could not make her out very clearly.

Dubois, who had probably been on deck most of the night, had gone below;
and La Touche was engaged in issuing his orders to the crew. I took
care to conceal my feelings, and on speaking to Larry I found he had not
suspected that the frigate was the _Liffy_. Still he might do so, and I
told him that I believed her to be our ship, charging him on no account
to exhibit his feelings.

"Shure, Mr Terence, that's a hard matter," he exclaimed. "I half feel
inclined to leap out of my skin and get aboard her."

"We must try to do that by some means or other," I said; "but how to
accomplish it is the question. Even if Captain Macnamara knew that we
were on board this brig, he could not come and take us by force."

"Why not, Mr Terence?" exclaimed Larry in surprise. "Shure if I see
one of our boats pulling by, I'll be after shouting at the top of my
voice, to tell them we're here, and to axe them to come and take us off.
Our captain's not the man to desert us, nor Mr Saunders either; and as
soon as they know that we're prisoners, they'll be after sending a
couple of boats to release us; or maybe they'll bring the frigate round,
and blaze away at the brig till they sink her."

"That would be an unple