vee. "Now, Elrington, will you
approve of my suggestion?"

"Let me hear it."

"It is this: they do not know that I have assisted in taking the
privateer, as they have no idea that I am here. As soon as we have
refitted her and your vessel, I will remain where I am. You shall run
into the mouth of the Garonne, with your colours flying, and the
English Jack over the French flag on board of the prize. This will
lead them to suppose that you have taken the vessel without
assistance. When just out of gun-shot, heave-to, fire a gun, and then
swing an effigy to the yard-arm, and remain there, to make them
suppose that you have hung the French captain. At nightfall you can
make sail and rejoin me. That will punish her, and annoy them
generally."

"I will do so; it is an excellent device, and she will never know the
truth for a long time to come."

We remained all that day refitting; in the evening I made sail, in
company with the French schooner, which was manned by Captain Levee,
and stood in shore. At break of the following day I ran in, standing
for the harbour, without my colours being hoisted, and then it
occurred to me that I would make their disappointment greater, by
allowing them first to imagine that the victory was theirs; so, when
about six miles off, I hoisted French colours on the French schooner,
and French colours over English on board of my own.

I continued to stand on till within two miles and a half of the
batteries, and could see crowds flocking down to witness the supposed
triumphant arrival of their privateer into port; when of a sudden I
hauled my wind, hove-to, brailed up my sails, and changed the colours,
firing a gun in bravado. Allowing them half an hour to comment upon
this disappointment, I then fired another gun, and hoisted up to the
yard-arm the figure of a man, composed of clothes stuffed with hay,
made to represent the French captain; and having so done, I remained
during the whole forenoon, with my sails brailed up, that they might
have a clear view of the hanging figure. At last we perceived a large
boat, with a flag of truce coming out of the river. I remained where I
was, and allowing it to come alongside, I perceived in it the French
officer, who had pledged himself to give the conditions of the combat
to the lady; and seated by him was the French captain's wife, with her
head sunk down on her knees, and her face buried in her handkerchief.

I saluted the officer as he came on the