ck,
looking somewhat disconsolate. He received me as before, in a cold
manner, though La Touche held out his hand when I offered him mine.

"It's of little consequence now," he said; "but I confess that we
suspect you of carrying off the packet. We only discovered that it was
gone after we left the harbour."

I told him exactly how it had happened, and that I myself considered
that under the circumstances I should not have been justified in taking
it.

"You have acted honourably, monsieur. I apologise for our wrong
suspicions, and I hope Dubois will do the same," he said.

"Certainly," said Dubois. "I vowed, when I discovered our loss, that I
would never trust an English officer again."

"You will now acknowledge, then, that though we are compelled to be
enemies, we act honourably towards you," I remarked. "However, all is
said by you to be fair in love or war--is it not?"

"We have got the saying, though it may not be a true one, for all that,"
he answered.

I now tried to carry out the captain's instructions, but I confess that
I could gain very little either from Dubois or La Touche. Perhaps they
didn't know much about the movements of their own fleet. Their opinion
was that the ships they had seen ahead were English, or they would not
have gone out of their course to avoid them. Captain Macnamara was not
quite satisfied on that point.

We continued standing to the southward, with the brig following in our
wake, while a bright look-out was kept aloft, that we might haul our
wind, and get out of their way, in case they should prove enemies. It
was fortunate that we were cautious, for, just before dark, the ships in
sight were made out to be certainly French, and we immediately stood
away to the southward to avoid them. Two frigates were seen coming in
chase, but we made all sail, and night hid them from our sight. Whether
or not they were still pursuing us we could not tell, but no lights were
shown, and it was important to avoid an engagement, especially with
enemies of a superior force. A careful look-out, however, was kept,
lest they should come up with us during the night. When morning dawned
we found that we had run them out of sight, and we now once more steered
our course for Barbadoes.

On reaching Carlisle Bay, we found the fleet under Sir Samuel Hood
moored in order of battle. It was evident from this that the admiral
expected an attack from the French fleet, and we afterwards learne