his gig. He was soon up her side, and began bowing and
scraping away most politely to the passengers, especially to the ladies.
We could almost fancy that we heard him apologising to them for the
inconvenience and disappointment he was causing them, with a spice of
mockery in his tone, suggesting that it was the fortune of war, and that
another day their turn might come uppermost. The crew of the Indiaman
were then sent down the side, and rowed off to one of the hulks, while
the passengers were conveyed to another.

"Then those hulks are prison ships after all," observed William, when
the operation was concluded. "We may get on board them and let out the
prisoners some day."

In this I partly agreed with him, though I could not help seeing the
difficulties in the way. Even this hope was likely to be frustrated,
for as we watched the Frenchmen who came on shore, we saw that they were
joined by several men whom we had little difficulty in recognising as
the crew of the wrecked ship, the very people who had lately deserted
us. The mate was with them, but we did not see the captain. Perhaps,
drunkard as he was, he was ashamed to go over to the enemy. All the
party now entered a drinking-house together, being evidently on the most
friendly terms.

We had therefore no longer any doubt that our existence would be made
known to the privateer's men, and that the difficulty of surprising them
would consequently be much greater than we had calculated on. We found
that it was time to retrace our steps, all we had gained from our
expedition being the knowledge that many of our countrymen and
countrywomen were in even a worse condition than we were. Our report
when we got back to the tents put our companions very much out of
spirits. What were we to do? was the question. Some proposed that we
should go at once and deliver ourselves up to the French, petitioning
for their clemency. O'Carroll strongly opposed this.

"We are at liberty now, boys: if we once get into the hands of these
French they will be our masters, and make us do what they like," he
observed; and his influence, supported as he was by us, carried the
point.

We wondered that Jacotot did not betake himself to his countrymen; but
he laughed and said that he was now an English subject, that he should
then be only one among many, that he was with us not only the principal
cook, but the only man worthy to be called a cook; indeed, that he was
perfectly co