nted
to a seat, and frankly declared that I had been betrayed by a Judas to
his sergeant of marines! I was taken perfectly aback, as I imagined
myself almost free, yet the loss of liberty did not paralyze me as
much as the perfidy of my men. Like a stupid booby, I stood gazing
with a fixed stare at the captain, when the cabin door burst open, and
with a shout of joyous merriment the hunters rushed in to greet their
comrade.

My dress that morning was a very elaborate _neglige_. I had purposely
omitted coat, braces, stockings and shoes, so that my privateer
costume of trowsers and shirt was not calculated for the reception of
strangers. It was natural, therefore, that the first sally of my
friendly liberators should be directed against my toilette; I parried
it, however, as adroitly as my temper would allow, by reproaching them
with their "unseasonable visit, before I could complete the _bath_
which they saw I was prepared for!"

The hint was understood; but the captain thought proper to tell the
entire tale. No man, he said, would have been happier than he, had I
escaped before the treachery. My friends were entreated not to risk
further attempts, which might subject me to severe restraints; and my
base comrades were forthwith summoned to the cabin, where, in presence
of the merchants, they were forced to disgorge the three thousand
francs and the chronometer.

"But this," said Captain Z----, "is not to be the end of the
comedy,--_en avant, messieurs_!" as he led the way to the mess-room,
where a sumptuous _dejeuner_ was spread for officers and huntsmen, and
over its fragrant fumes my disappointment was, for a while, forgotten.

CHAPTER XLIV.

For fifteen days more the angry captive bit his thumbs on the taffrail
of the guard-ship, and gazed either at vacancy or the waters of the
Senegal. At the end of that period, a gunboat transferred our convict
party to the frigate Flora, whose first lieutenant, to whom I had been
privately recommended, separated me immediately from my men. The
scoundrels were kept close prisoners during the whole voyage to
France, while my lot was made as light as possible, under the severe
sentence awarded at San Luis.

The passage was short. At Brest, they landed me privately, while my
men and officers were paraded through the streets at mid-day, under a
file of _gens d'armes_. I am especially grateful to the commander of
this frigate, who alleviated my sufferings by his generous