istake somewhere. Before
taking up a berth in this quarantine ground, I should like to
communicate with Lord Hood. Can you point me out his ship, monsieur?"

"You cannot see her from here, Monsieur le Capitaine," replied the
Frenchman. "Besides, an interview with the British Admiral will avail
you nothing; he is doubtless retired by this time, and, even if he were
not, he could not interfere; he has no authority whatever in the present
matter."

I thought I detected a covert smile of derision passing over the
speaker's face as he said this, and I turned to see whether I could
detect anything of the kind on that of his companion, but I found he had
withdrawn to the gangway, apparently to call his people up out of the
boat, for they were just coming up over the side, as I looked. In
another moment he sauntered back, and rejoined the group from which he
had so quietly slipped away.

"Do you say that we cannot see the British flag-ship from here, sir?"
inquired Mr Annesley. "Then pray where is she? It seems to me that
every ship in the harbour is within view from here; yet, now I come to
look, I cannot see a single British ship among them all. Does it not
strike you, sir, that there is something rather peculiar about this
business?" turning to the skipper.

I was sure I saw the two French officers start and glance quickly at
each other at this remark; and then, for the first time, I noticed that
they wore tri-coloured cockades in their hats.

"Why, those gentlemen have _national_ cockades in their hats!" I
exclaimed involuntarily.

"By Jove! you are right, young gentleman, they have!" ejaculated the
skipper. "What is the meaning of all this, monsieur? Are you a
Nationalist, or are you a Royalist in disguise? And I beg that you will
at once tell me the whereabouts of Lord Hood and his fleet. Unless I
receive a distinct answer, I shall be forced to believe that treachery
is meditated, and shall take the necessary precautionary steps
forthwith."

The Frenchmen looked in each other's faces for an instant, and then the
one who had called his boat's crew on deck turned to the skipper and
said, in French,--

"Calm yourself, monsieur, I have the honour to inform you that you and
your ship's company are prisoners. But the English are a good people,
and we will treat you all with the utmost kindness. The English admiral
went away some time ago, and Toulon is now in the hands of the
Nationalists."

The expre