e, and allow us to show you some
hospitality," added La Touche. "In this life we have many ups and
downs. One day you are prisoners to us, and the next day we are
prisoners to you. What matters it if we retain our honour and our
lives. It's a miracle that we're alive."

"How is that?" I asked.

"We were aboard the _Ville de Paris_," he said, "and were doing duty on
the lower deck. We fought to the last, and fully believed that the ship
would go down. At one time the admiral was the only person left
unwounded on the upper deck. Officer after officer was killed as they
went up to join him. We were about to follow, when our flag was hauled
down. However, we expect to be exchanged soon, when, for my part, I
intend to return to France."

This was said as we walked along with the young Frenchmen.

The lodgings to which they introduced us consisted of a single room, in
which they slept and took their meals; but they didn't seem a bit
ashamed of it, and did the honours with as great an air as if they were
receiving us in a magnificent saloon. They had evidently won the heart
of their mulatto landlady, who placed an elegant repast on the table,--
indeed, in a country where fruits and delicacies are abundant, that is
not any difficult matter.

"The English are very polite to us here; and some of the young ladies
are charming," observed Dubois. "There is one family especially
polite,--that of a Monsieur Talboys. Ah! _ma foi_! his little daughter
is perfectly charming."

On hearing the name of Talboys, Tom Pim pricked up his ears and looked
at me, for he was not able to understand all that was said.

"We are acquainted with Mr Talboys," I observed, "and all must admire
his daughter. Is she not engaged to be married yet?"

"Ah, yes, there's the pity," said Dubois, shrugging his shoulders; "to a
military officer, I'm told,--the Capitaine Duffy. He has lately
obtained his promotion, and appeared at a ball in a bright new uniform,
which completely captivated the young lady's heart."

"I'll not believe it until I see her, and she tells me so," exclaimed
Tom, starting up. "You must have been misinformed, monsieur."

"_Ma foi_! I hope so," said Dubois; "for I thought I was making great
way, and resolved, if her father would accept me as his son-in-law, to
give up the sea and settle down as a planter in Jamaica."

On hearing this Tom became very fidgety, and proposed that we should go
in search of our friends.