"I prefer giving it to the admiral, who has the power to reward
me as I deserve."

The captain had nothing whatever to say against this, and accordingly
conducted him on board the flag-ship. The old pirate then gave the
information that the English had resolved to attempt the destruction of
the French fleet by fire-ships; and, as a proof, exhibited the plan
which he had abstracted from Lord Claymore's cabin.

"I will consider the information you have brought me, and judge of the
probability of its correctness," answered the admiral. "You shall,
according as it is found to be correct, receive your reward. Take him
on board again, Captain Gerardin, and see that he does not escape. He
will probably be equally ready to inform the British government, if he
has the opportunity, of what we are about."

Tacon looked not over well pleased; he well knew that expostulation
would be useless.

"The fates are against me, and I am truly an unfortunate and
much-to-be-pitied man," he muttered, as he was led away.

Captain Gerardin took him back on board the frigate, and, to prevent the
possibility of his escaping, put him into irons. "A hard necessity,
friend Tacon," he remarked; "but necessity often compels us to perform
unpleasant acts."

"Ah, yes, it is my unfortunate fate! I am truly much to be
commiserated," answered the old pirate. "Now there is the marquis, up
there, in your cabin. He is a much greater scoundrel than I am, and yet
rank and wealth are his lot."

"Oh, we have a bonne-bouche prepared for him, which he may not relish
much more than you do those manacles on your legs," remarked the
captain, as he left the worthy Tacon to his solitary reflections.

The French admiral, meantime, paid much more attention to the
information he had received than he was willing to acknowledge he should
do. It corroborated what he had received from other quarters, and he
instantly issued orders to prepare for the expected attack. Lord
Gambier's squadron had for some time been cruising off the coast, and it
was considered a wonder that Captain Gerardin's frigate had got safe
into harbour.

Meantime the prisoners, for so they were, though treated more as friends
and passengers, were detained on board. The preparations for the attack
were concluded, and the French were convinced that it could not succeed.
It was now the common subject of conversation; and Edda heard that Lord
Claymore was about to take an active part in t