nly way appealed to the good feelings of
his captors. In vain Sir Henry Elmore repeated what he said in French.
The Frenchmen were deaf to all expostulations. The second Captain of
the frigate stood by, not only superintending, but aiding in inflicting
the indignities with which they were treated.

They were next dragged off and brought into the Captain's own cabin.
Here they expected to be better treated; but no sooner did the Captain
enter, than, walking up and down and showering on them the most abusive
epithets, he ordered his men to take away their swords and dirks, and to
strip off their coats and waistcoats, exclaiming as he did so:

"No one on board _La Ralieuse_ shall wear the livery of a despot--one of
those hateful things, a King. Bah!" The Captain and his second in
command, having thus vented their rage and spite, ordered the men to
carry off their prisoners. The Captain and the young officers were
therefore again unceremoniously dragged out of the cabin and forced down
below into a space in the hold, dimly lighted by a single lantern.
There they found the greater part of the crew already assembled,
bursting with rage and indignation at the way they had been treated.

Meantime the boat which contained Paul Pringle, with Tom Marline, True
Blue, and the other two boys, arrived alongside the frigate. The French
sailors were going to hoist up Paul with very little consideration for
his hurts, when, in spite of their black looks, Tom shoved in his
shoulder, vehemently exclaiming:

"Avast, ye lubbers! Can't you see that the man has his ribs stove in?
Send down proper slings to lift him on deck, or out of this boat he
don't go while I've an arm to strike for him."

True Blue had continued to support Paul's head in his lap. The
Frenchmen did not understand this demand, and might have proceeded to
force Tom up the side had not Pringle himself interfered.

"Don't fall out with the men, Tom; there's no use grumbling with them.
Do you and Billy help me up. I've still some strength left in me."

Aided thus, Paul reached the Frenchman's deck, the first he had ever
trod except as a victor. No sooner were they there than Tom was seized
on, as had been the other seamen, and was dragged off to be abused and
kicked down into the hold with the rest. No sooner, however, did some
of the Frenchmen attempt to lay hands on Paul, who had been placed
sitting up against a gun, than True Blue threw himself before him, a