m. Their looks of astonishment at finding an English midshipman
among them were amusing.

"Why, where have you dropped from, youngster?" exclaimed a civilian, a
judge returning from--what was more unusual in those days than at
present--a visit to England. "The clouds?"

"Not exactly; 'tis but from up there, where I have a number of friends
who would be glad to make your acquaintance," answered Toby promptly.
"May I introduce them?"

"By all means--very happy to see them," answered the nabob, as all civil
servants of the Company were called in those days if they were well up
the tree, and had made money. "Bring them down at once."

"I have not a gun, sir, or I might do it; but I'll hail them, which will
answer the purpose," answered Master Toby, with a twinkle in his eye.

We scarcely waited for his call, but tumbling down one after the other,
we stood before the assembled company, to whom Toby, looking as grave as
a judge, introduced us formally by name, finishing off with "Sam Kelson,
boatswain's mate of his Britannic Majesty's frigate _Phoebe_."

"The very ship we spoke the day before we were captured," observed our
friend the judge. "She was on the look-out for Captain La Roche and his
merry men, and if she falls in with them, they will have a hard matter
to escape; but sit down, gentlemen, we are very glad to make your
acquaintance. We are companions in misfortune, though in some respects
you have the advantage over us, by being at liberty."

We found that the passengers were allowed to live as before on board the
Indiaman, and were under no sort of restraint, they having given their
word not to attempt to escape from the island while the French had
possession of it. We were treated in the most friendly manner by all
the party, Sam Kelson finding a companion in a corporal, the servant of
a military officer going out to rejoin his regiment Trundle soon let out
to our new friends the intention we had entertained of trying to release
them. They thanked us, but said that the attempt would have been
useless, as the mouth of the harbour was strongly guarded. There were a
good many other people on board the ships, while the officers and seamen
remained strictly guarded, and were not allowed to visit the shore,
except when the _Mignonne_ or some other privateer ship of war was in
the harbour. Their only fear was that they might run short of
provisions before they were released, or that at all events they shou