ved by his men. Brave,
adventurous, active, generous, and kind-hearted, his character rendered
him a favorite to a degree that was not common even among the people of
that chivalrous nation. The French mariner will bear familiarity better
than his great rival and neighbor, the Englishman; and it was natural
with our hero to be frank and free with all, whether above him or below
him in condition. The temperaments to be brought into subjection were
not as rude and intractable as those of the Anglo-Saxon, and the
off-hand, dashing character of Raoul was admirably adapted to win both
the admiration and the affections of his people. They now thronged about
him without hesitation or reserve, each man anxious to make his good
wishes known, his felicitations heard.

"I have kept you playing about the fire, _camarades_," said Raoul,
affected by the proofs of attachment he received; "but we will now take
our revenge. There are English boats in chase of me, at this moment,
under the land; we will try to pick up one or two of them, by way of
letting them know there is still such a vessel as le Feu-Follet."

An exclamation of pleasure followed; then an old quartermaster, who had
actually taught his commander his first lessons in seamanship, shoved
through the crowd, and put his questions with a sort of authority.

"_Mon capitaine_" he said, "have you been near these English?"

"Aye, Benoit; somewhat nearer than I could wish. To own the truth, the
reason you have not sooner seen me was, that I was passing my time on
board our old friend, la Proserpine. Her officers and crew would not
lose my company, when they had once begun to enjoy it."

"_Peste!--mon cher capitaine_--were you a prisoner?"

"Something of that sort, Benoit. At least, they had me on a grating,
with a rope round the neck, and were about to make me swing off, as a
spy, when a happy gun or two from Nelson, up above there, at the town,
ordered them to let me go below. As I had no taste for such amusements,
and wanted to see _mon cher_ Feu-Follet, Etooelle and I got into the
yawl, and left them; intending to return and be hanged when we can find
nothing better to do."

This account required an explanation, which Raoul gave in a very few
words, and then the crew were directed to go to their stations, in order
that the lugger might be properly worked. The next minute the sails were
filled on the larboard tack, as before, and le Feu-Follet again drew
ahead, standing i