that we were not your friends. You and your
people will come on board my ship; the schooner may be useful to us."

I could only bow to this polite speech, and say that I was ready to
attend him on board his ship. The French seamen, however, did not seem
inclined to treat us with much ceremony, and several who came on board
rummaged about in every direction to pick up whatever they could find.

With a heavy heart I left the Dolphin, and was soon transferred to the
deck of the French frigate. The squadron to which I had become a prize
consisted of the Dedaigneuse and Chermente, both of thirty-two guns, the
Active of twenty-eight, and the Providence privateer, which with the
Active they had taken the day before. I cannot say much for the
discipline of the French frigate; for it appeared to me that the crew
were very much inclined to be insubordinate, in consequence of which the
officers had to exercise a considerable amount of severity in keeping
them under necessary discipline.

It was a bitter pill I was compelled to swallow. For ten long years I
had been serving my country incessantly as midshipman and master's mate,
and now at the very moment when I felt sure that I was about to emerge
from the subordinate rank of a petty officer, and to obtain my
commission as a lieutenant, no longer to be subject to the midnight
calls of quartermasters and the unnumbered snubs which patient
midshipmen from their superiors take, I found all my hopes of my
promotion dashed to the ground, and myself an unhappy prisoner of war.

I had, however, plenty of companions to share my misfortune; on board
the two French frigates were most of the officers and crew of the
Active, as well as of the privateer. Scarcely had I stepped on board
than who should I see walking the deck in melancholy mood but my old
friend and messmate Delisle, and by his side was Paddy O'Driscoll. How
changed had soon become the light-hearted, jovial midshipman! The
feeling of captivity was weighing heavily on his spirits. Indeed, what
is there more galling to an officer than to see the ship to which he
lately belonged in the hands of his enemies, and himself compelled to
submit to any commands they may choose to issue? They both, as they
turned in their walk, started at seeing me; for of course they did not
know that I was on board the vessel just captured. They came forward
and shook hands warmly.

"I cannot welcome you on board this craft, my dear Hurry,