ence of several persons, one of whom, a
fierce-looking bearded official, inquired who they were, where they had
come from, whither they were going.

Paul, with a fluency which surprised himself, narrated the story which
had been arranged by Rosalie, O'Grady going through his part, pointing
to his lips, and making inarticulate sounds, while Reuben imitated him
in a way which seemed to try the gravity of those before whom he stood.
Paul thought that all was going on smoothly, when he was considerably
taken aback by seeing the officer laugh, and hearing him say in fair
English:--

"You speak well, certainly, for one who has been so short a time in the
country, but I should have understood you better had you spoken in
English; and now I should like to know what your young friend here, and
your lame companion, have to say for themselves. There's a salt-water
look about them which makes me suspect that they know more about a ship
than a vineyard."

The midshipmen saw that all further disguise was useless.

"Well, sir," exclaimed O'Grady, "if you know that we are English
officers, you will understand that we were captured in a merchantman
returning home invalided, and that as we were not on our parole, we had
a full right to endeavour to make our escape."

"Granted, young sir," said the officer, blandly; "and not only had you a
right to endeavour to escape, but you shall be allowed to proceed if you
will answer me a few simple questions."

"What are they?" asked Paul and O'Grady, in a breath.

"Oh, a mere trifle," said the officer. "Who concealed you when you
first made your escape? who assisted you to obtain your disguise? who
invented your well-arranged story? and who forwarded you on your way?"

The midshipmen looked at each other.

"Shall I answer, Paddy?" asked Paul, eagerly.

"No, no, it's myself that will spake to the gentleman," exclaimed
O'Grady, in that rich brogue in which an Irishman indulges when he is
about to express a sentiment which comes up from the depth of his heart.
"If your honour is under the belief that British officers are made up
of such dirty ingredients that they would be capable of doing the vile,
treacherous, ungrateful act you have insulted us by proposing, you never
were more mistaken in your life. We are prisoners, and you have the
power of doing whatever you like with us; but at least treat us with
that respect which one gentleman has a right to demand from another."

The Frenc