e come from Malta, which is not an
infected place," answered the captain.

"Then, monsieur, Malta is an infected place," returned the officer,
quickly.

"I cannot understand that," answered Captain Hood. "I have to deliver
my despatches, and some supernumeraries for the army here, and then to
be away again as fast as possible. I beg, gentlemen, you will inform me
where the _Victory_, Lord Hood's ship, is. I must be guided by his
orders."

"Certainly, monsieur, certainly," said the Frenchman, bowing with a
bland smile. "We will pilot you to him."

I remember thinking, as the Frenchmen walked along the deck, that there
was a good deal of swagger in their manner, but I only set it down to
Gallic impudence. While this conversation was going on, one of our
midshipmen, a smart youngster--Mowbray, I think, was his name--had been
inquisitively examining the Frenchmen, and he now hurried up to the
captain, and drew him aside.

"Just look, sir--those are Republican cockades!" he whispered. "As the
light of a lantern fell on their hats, I observed it. There's some
trick put upon us."

"In truth you are right, my lad, I greatly fear," answered the captain,
in an agitated voice. "Where do you say Lord Hood is?" he asked,
turning abruptly to the Frenchman.

"My Lord Hood! He is not here. He has long ago departed. We have no
lords here," answered the French officer in a sneering tone. "You have
made a great mistake, and are like a rat in a hole. The truth is,
Monsieur le Capitaine, you and your ship's company are prisoners! But
make yourself easy--the English are good people--we will treat them
kindly."

"Prisoners!" exclaimed Captain Hood and the officers standing near, in
tones of dismay. "Prisoners! impossible!" But the assertion was too
true.

Lord Hood had been compelled to evacuate Toulon some time before, with
all the forces under his command, after blowing up, by the aid of Sir
Sidney Smith, several of the forts, and destroying or carrying away
every ship in the harbour; while the unfortunate inhabitants were
exposed to all the cruelties which their sanguinary opponents could
inflict on them.

As may be supposed, the Republican Frenchmen exulted in the idea of
having so easily captured an English frigate, and a large number of
Englishmen on whom they might retaliate for some of the losses their
party had sustained. As ill news travels quickly, so in an instant the
words in everybody's mouth were