ould
there be any, and I have arranged a signal with him, by which he may let
us know the result even at the distance of eight or ten miles."

"Has Lord Nelson left no discretion in the orders, sir?"

"None; unless Raoul Yvard distinctly consent to give up the lugger. In
that case, I have a letter, which authorizes me to delay the execution
until I can communicate directly with the commander-in-chief."

"How very unlucky it has been all round! Is there no possibility, sir,
of making up a case that might render this discretion available?"

"That might do among you irresponsibles, Mr. Griffin," answered Cuffe, a
little sharply; "but I would rather hang forty Frenchmen than be
Bronted by Nelson for neglect of duty"

Cuffe spoke more strongly than he intended, perhaps; but the commander
of a ship-of-war does not always stop to weigh his words, when he
condescends to discuss a point with an inferior. The reply put a check
upon Griffin's zeal, however, though the discourse did not the
less proceed.

"Well, sir," the lieutenant answered, "I'm sure we are all as anxious as
you can be, to avert this affair from our ship. 'Twas but the other day
we were boasting in the gun-room, to some of the Lapwing's officers that
were on a visit here, that the Proserpine never had an execution or a
court-martial flogging on board her, though she had now been under the
British ensign near four years, and had been seven times under fire."

"God send, Griffin, that Clinch find the admiral, and get back in time!"

"How would it do, sir, to send the vice-governatore to try the prisoner;
perhaps _he_ might persuade him to _seem_ to consent--or some such
thing, you know, sir, as might justify a delay. They say the Corsicans
are the keenest-witted fellows in all these seas; and Elba is so near to
Corsica, that one cannot fancy there is much difference between
their people."

"Aye, your veechy is a regular witch! He made out so well in his first
interview with Yvard, that no one can doubt his ability to overlay him
in another!"

"One never knows, Captain Cuffe. The Italian has more resources than
most men; and the Signor Barrofaldi is a discreet, sensible man, when he
acts with his eyes open. Le Feu-Follet has cheated others besides the
vice-governatore and the podesta."

"Aye, these d--d Jack-o'-Lanterns are never to be trusted. It would
hardly surprise me to see the Folly coming down wing-and-wing from under
the land, and passing out to