work of
enemies, and I had to set sail at once, or once more my son and I would
have had to pass years in the inside of a prison, not as culprits,
monsieur, but as honourable gentlemen, French nobles, whose only crime
was fidelity to one,"--and as he spoke he stopped short, uttering the
word _one_ with grave reverence, as he took off his hat--an example
followed by his son. "Well, gentlemen, I cannot explain to you. There
is not time. Only this--you saw that I made what you English call a
dash for it--for freedom. It was like madness, but we said we would
rather trust the storm than the French Government. They sent boats full
of soldiers to seize us, but we kept on. They opened fire upon us from
the forts, but we did not shrink."

"Yes, yes, we saw all," cried Uncle Paul, "and a very brave dash you
made."

Captain Chubb, who had listened, frowning heavily the while, uttered a
low grunt.

"And a very fine bit of seamanship, sir," he said, and the officer
turned to him and raised his hat.

"It was desperate, sir," he said gravely, "and I knew that I was risking
the lives of my dear son and all on board; but no man there shrank.
Well, sir, my story is long, but I must excuse myself for my conduct
here. It is enough. We battled with the storm, as you saw, and
escaped."

"I always said you had gone down," grunted Captain Chubb.

"No, sir. We escaped with but one wound, and that was to my poor
vessel; and since the night when we left Havre-de-Grace upon my mission
it has been one long struggle, as you would say, for life."

"Indeed, sir?"

"Yes," said the officer sadly, and he pointed over the side towards
where the beautiful duck-like brig with its taper spars sat the smooth
sea, but with a steady stream of water trickling down her side. "My
chief officer and my men have worked in every way they knew long days
and weeks; but it is of no use. I would not give up the great object
upon which I have come, but it is forced upon us at last that before
many days have gone over our heads that vessel will lie far down in the
depths of the ocean. Do you not see how low she is in the water?"

"Eh?" cried the skipper eagerly. "Eh? I thought she was low down with
cargo. You've sprung a leak?"

"A cannon ball crashed through her, sir, and we have never been able to
master that leak."

"Then why in the name of thunder didn't you put into port?" cried the
skipper contemptuously.

The officer smiled.

"I can