nch lingo that you go on a
jabberin' with the priest thar. I never could abide it, nor my
fathers afore me; an' how ever you--you, a good Protestant, an' a
Massachusetts boy, an' a loyal subject of his most gracious majesty,
King George--can go on that way, jabberin' all day long with that
thar priest in that darned outlandish lingo,--wal, it beats me,--it
doos clar."

At this Claude burst into a merry laugh.

"Well, by George," he cried, "if this ain't the greatest case of
patriotic prejudice! What's the matter with the French language? It's
better than English to talk with. Besides, even if it wern't, the
French can't help their language. If it were yours, you'd like it,
you know. And then I hope you're not beginning to take a prejudice
against the good Pere Michel. He's as fine a fellow as ever lived, by
George!"

"O, mind you, now, I wan't intendin' to say anythin' agin him," said
Zac. "I like him, an' can't help it, he's so gentle, an' meek, an'
has sech a look out of his eyes. Blamed if I don't sometimes feel
jest as though he's my father. O, no, I ain't got anythin' agin' him.
Far from it. But it's the idee. For here, you see--this is the way
it is; here aboard the Parson I see a Roman Catholic priest; I hear
two people jabber French all day long. It makes me feel jest for all
the world as though I'd got somehow into the hands of the
Philistines. It seems like bein' a captive. It kin' o' seems a sort
o' bad lookout; a kin' o' sort o' sign, you know, of what's a goin'
to happen afore I git back agin."

At this, which was spoken with much earnestness, and with a very
solemn face, Claude gave another laugh.

"O, that's all nonsense," said he, gayly. "Why, you don't really
think, now, that you're going to get into trouble through me--do you?
And then as to Pere Michel, why, I feel as much confidence in him as
I do in myself. So come, don't get into this low state of mind, but
pluck up your spirits. Never mind the fog, or the French language.
They oughtn't to have such an effect on a fellow of your size and
general build. You'll put us ashore at that bay you spoke of, and
then go home all right. That's the way of it. As to the land, you
can't have any danger from that quarter; and as to the sea, why, you
yourself said that the French cruiser was never built that could
catch you."

"Wal," said Zac, "that's a fac', an' no mistake. Give me any kin' of
wind, an' thar ain't a Moosoo afloat that can come anywhar ni