t we shall be
obliged to secure you as we have done your men; but to save you from
temptation, we shall secure your cabin door on the outside in a way
which will prevent you from doing so. If, however, you will give me
your promise not to attempt to regain your liberty, you will be treated
with no further rigour."

"I must make a virtue of necessity," answered the lieutenant; "it is a
very disagreeable one, but I submit." And without more ado he threw off
his coat and quietly turned into his cot.

"Don't trust him, Gerald, whatever he may say," whispered Captain Tracy,
"till we have the door firmly secured."

"Ay, ay, father," answered Gerald; "if he shows his face at the door
without leave, I'll make him draw it back again pretty quickly."

Pompey had been left to watch over Jacques Busson and the man who had
been serving at the wheel. He had no pistol, but instead he held in his
hand a sharp, long-bladed sheath-knife, which effectually kept the
prisoners from stirring. He evidently took especial delight in his
office, and reluctantly consented to drag Jacques Busson into a cabin,
where it was arranged that he should be confined, but at the same time
with his arms and legs firmly secured. The rest of the men were carried
down into the forecastle, and were placed in their bunks, the captain
having examined each of them to be certain that they were lashed in a
way from which they could not liberate themselves.

Morning dawned soon after these arrangements had been made. Jacques
Busson grumbled greatly at the treatment he had received.

"What for you make all dis fuss?" said Pompey, who was standing sentry
over him. "You want to take us into French port--we take you into Irish
port. Waterford berry nice place, and when we get dere we take you out
of limbo, and you live like one gentleman."

"Sacre!" answered the Frenchman, who had only caught a word or two of
what Pompey had said, "if we fall in with a French ship before we get
there, I'll pay you off, mon garcon, for nearly strangling me with your
greasy arms."

Pompey only grinned a reply. There was no use wasting words,
considering that neither understood the other's language. The
lieutenant took matters more philosophically than his inferior. He was,
however, not to be trusted, and either Gerald or Dan kept watch at his
door with a loaded pistol. The arms and legs of the other men were too
securely lashed to afford much risk of their getting loose