r; my grandfather's name was O'Farrel--and proud I am of a name
which has never been disgraced. But I must not interrupt you,
gentlemen. Go on with your writing; I will by-and-by, if you wish it,
entertain you with my history. I have nothing to be ashamed of."

The merchants resumed their pens, and having consulted together, their
orders were soon made out and despatched by one of the boats which had
brought them on board. In the mean time the party on deck were footing
it away right merrily, entirely ignorant of what had been taking place
below; the officers of militia, notwithstanding their gay uniforms,
finding themselves eclipsed by the superior terpsichorean attainments of
the Frenchmen. Lieutenant Vinoy seemed in high spirit, and efficiently
performed the office of master of the ceremonies, apparently feeling
himself quite at home. Some of the merchants, having finished their
despatches, were about to go on deck.

"Stay, gentlemen," exclaimed the captain; "we will discuss a few more
bottles of claret first. We will not interrupt the amusements of the
young people by letting them know the character of my ship, for, depend
on it, they will be treated with all due courtesy, and will not, I
trust, regret having come on board."

The claret, which had been pronounced first-rate, was a temptation not
to be resisted, and the guests, who had risen, making a virtue of
necessity, resumed their seats, prepared to do justice to as many
bottles as might be placed before them.

"Now, gentlemen," said Captain Thurot, "you shall, if it is your desire,
hear my history; it will serve to occupy some of the time till the
return of the boat."

"By all means, captain; we shall be glad to have an account of the life
of one whom none of us are likely to forget in a hurry," said Mr
Ferris. Others also expressed the same wish.

The captain laughed. "It is pleasant to feel that there is no risk of
being forgotten by one's friends," he observed; "and you will be still
less likely to do so when I have narrated a few of the incidents of my
life. I may remark that some of my acts may not be looked upon by you
in the same light as that in which I regard them. I must be judged by a
different code to yours. I have never owed allegiance to your
sovereign, and therefore you must not blame me for breaking his revenue
laws in the way which I shall have to tell you I have done. However, to
my history. My grandfather, Captain O'Farrel