I had an opportunity of exchanging a word or two with the first
lieutenant on the subject of our neighbour, the brig, and then it was
only a word or two. Mr Austin opened the conversation with:

"Well, Hawkesley, what do you think of our friend Monsieur Le Breton,
now that you have had an opportunity of bettering your acquaintance with
him?"

"Well, sir," I replied; "on the whole I am inclined to think that there
is just a bare possibility of my having been mistaken in my estimate of
him and of the character of the brig. Still--"

"Still your mind is not yet quite easy," Mr Austin laughingly
interrupted me. "Now, what could you possibly have noticed of a
suspicious character in the poor fellow's conduct this morning?"

"Nothing," I was obliged to acknowledge. "I am quite prepared to admit,
sir, a total absence of those peculiarities of manner which _I am
certain_ existed during his first visit to the ship. But did you not
think it strange that he should be in such a tremendous hurry to come on
board us this morning? At first I was inclined to think his object
might be to prevent a visit from some of us to the brig; but that
supposition is met, to some extent, by his invitation to us for this
evening. The delay may, of course, have afforded them an opportunity to
make arrangements for our reception by putting out of sight any--"

"Any tell-tale evidences of their dishonesty," laughed the first luff.
"Really, Hawkesley, I must say I think you are deceiving yourself and
worrying yourself unnecessarily. Of course I can quite understand how,
having harboured those extraordinary suspicions of yours for so great a
length of time, you now find it difficult to dismiss them all in a
moment; but have patience for a few hours more; an excellent opportunity
is now offered us for satisfying ourselves as to the brig's _bona
fides_, and you may rest assured that I shall make the very best use of
it. I find I shall be the only guest of the Frenchmen to-night--the
rest of the officers are far too busy to leave the ship, and indeed _I_
can hardly be spared, and would not go but for the fact that it would
look uncivil if we in a body declined their invitation; but I will see
that to-morrow you have an opportunity of going on board and
investigating for yourself. And now I must be off to make myself
presentable, or I shall be keeping my hosts waiting, and perhaps spoil
their dinner."

With that he dived below; and I turned