considerable
fever, I was doing as well as could be expected under the circumstances.
But I shall not dwell upon my severe sufferings for a fortnight, after
which the ball was extracted; nor upon how carefully I was watched by
O'Brien, the colonel, and little Celeste, during my peevishness and
irritation arising from pain and fever.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

WE REMOVE TO VERY UNPLEASANT QUARTERS--BIRDS OF A FEATHER WON'T ALWAYS
FLOCK TOGETHER--O'BRIEN CUTS A CUTTER MIDSHIPMAN, AND GETS A TASTE OF
FRENCH STEEL--ALTOGETHER "FLAT" WORK.

As soon as I was well enough to attend to my little nurse, we became
very intimate, as might be expected. In five weeks I was out of bed,
and could limp about the room; and before two months were over, I was
quite recovered. The colonel, however, would not report me to the
governor; I remained on a sofa during the day, but at dusk I stole out
of the house, and walked about with Celeste. I never passed such a
happy time as the last fortnight; the only drawback was the remembrance
that I should soon have to exchange it for a prison. I was more easy
about my father and mother, as O'Brien had written to them, assuring
them that I was doing well; and besides, a few days after our capture,
the frigate had run in, and sent a flag of truce to inquire if we were
alive or made prisoners; at the same time Captain Savage sent on shore
all our clothes, and two hundred dollars in cash for our use. I knew
that even if O'Brien's letter did not reach them, they were sure to hear
from Captain Savage that I was doing well. At the end of twelve weeks
the surgeon could no longer withhold his report, and we were ordered to
be ready in two days to march to Toulon, where we were to join another
party of prisoners to proceed with them into the interior. I must pass
over our parting, which the reader may imagine was very painful. I
promised to write to Celeste, and she promised that she would answer my
letters, if it were permitted. We shook hands with Colonel O'Brien,
thanking him for his kindness, and much to his regret, we were taken in
charge by two French cuirassiers, who were waiting at the door. As we
preferred being continued on parole until our arrival at Toulon, the
soldiers were not at all particular about watching us: and we set off on
horseback, O'Brien and I going first, and the French cuirassiers
following us in the rear.

The evening of the second day we arrived in Toulon, and as soon as