ear of the shoals, my men; and
if you do not, your lives are worth nothing.--Hold pistols to their
heads," continued he to the officer, "and the moment that the ship
touches, blow their brains out."

Here Bramble, to my astonishment, went on his knees.

"Spare our lives," said he, "and we will take the vessel safe to the
French coast;" at the same time he gave me a pinch.

"If you do not you shall not live a minute," said the captain (another
pinch from Bramble). I now understood him, and I also went down on my
knees, and pretended to cry. "We can't take her out if this weather
lasts," said I, whimpering. "It's impossible."

"No, no! not if this weather lasts," said Bramble, "but as soon as it
changes we will do it."

"Very well, so long as you do it when you can, that is all I ask. Now,"
said he to the officer he had before addressed, "you'll have twenty
men--keep a sharp lookout--and don't lose a moment in getting under way
as soon as you can."

The captain then returned to the privateer with the rest of the men,
leaving the ship in charge of the prizemaster. The privateer was boomed
off; but whether she dropped her anchor near to us, or remained under
way, I could not tell. The men who had held the pistols to our heads now
went away with the others to plunder, according to the manners and
customs of all privateers' men, of whatever nation they may happen to
be. Bramble and I walked aft.

"Pinned once more, by all that's blue! Well, it can't be helped--but
we're not in a French prison yet."

"Why did you go down on your knees to those fellows?" said I, rather
sulkily.

"Why, because I wished them to think we were chicken-hearted, and that
we should not be watched, and might have a chance--who knows?"

"Two against twenty are heavy odds," replied I.

"That depends upon whether you trust to your head or your arms. It must
be headwork this time. You see, Tom, we have so far a chance that we
cannot weigh till it clears up--they know that as well as we do. I'm
pretty sure it will be thick all to-morrow, and perhaps longer; so you
see something may turn up by that time. We are well in, and right in the
Channel, for vessels up or down. I say again we are not in a French
prison yet. They can't take her out of this--we must do it; and we may
run on shore if we like: and I tell you what, Tom, if it wasn't for
Bessy, I'd just as soon that my brains should be blown out as that these
French fellows should take such a