hunger
and thirst; and we all join in his request."

"You shall not wait long," I replied; "I will be up again in a moment
or two." I went down into the cabin, and ordering my servant to put on
the table a large piece of pressed Hamburg beef, a cold pie of various
flesh and fowl combined, some bread and cheese, and some bottles of
brandy and usquebaugh, I then went up again, and requested them all to
descend. Hungry they certainly were, and it was incredible the
quantity that they devoured. I should have imagined that they had not
been fed for a week; and I thought that if they were to consume at
that rate, my stock would never last out, and the sooner they were
landed the better. As soon as they left off eating, and had finished
two bottles of usquebaugh, I said to them, "Gentlemen, my orders are
to land you at any port of France that you should prefer. Have you
made up your minds as to which it shall be, for it will be necessary
that we shape a course according to your decision?"

"Mr. Elrington, on that point we would wish to advise with you. I
hardly need say that our object is to escape, and that falling in with
and being captured by a ship of war, and there are many out in pursuit
of us and other unfortunate adherents to the house of Stuart, would be
extremely disagreeable, as our heads and our bodies would certainly
part company, if we were taken. Now, which port do you think we should
be most likely to reach with least chance of interruption?"

"I think," I replied, "as you pay me the compliment to ask my opinion,
that it would be better to run down the Bay of Biscay, and then put in
the port of Bordeaux, or any other, where you could be landed in
safety; and my reason is this: the Channel is full of cruisers looking
after those of your party who are attempting to escape; and my vessel
will be chased and searched. Now, although we might sail faster than
any one vessel in the Channel, yet it is very possible that in running
away from one, we may fall into the jaws of another. And besides, we
are two privateers, and cruising off Bordeaux will excite no
suspicion, as it is a favourite cruising-ground; so that, if we were
boarded, there would be little danger of discovery; but, of course, as
long as I can prevent that, by taking to my heels, I shall not be
boarded by any one. The only objection to what I propose is, that you
will be confined longer in a vessel than you may like, or than you
would be if you were t