be so, for I fear that it will go harder with you
than if you were French, when, of course, you would be merely
prisoners of war."

"We should be prisoners of war, now," Colonel Wauchop said. "We
are in the service of the King of France, and were but obeying his
orders, along with our French comrades."

"I hope they may see it in that light, in London," the officer
said courteously; "but I doubt whether, at the present moment,
they will take a calm view of the subject. However, I hope they
will do so, especially as no shot has been fired by you, and they
cannot charge you with resisting capture. At any rate, gentlemen,
I will do my best to make you comfortable while you are under my
charge. I must ask a few of you to shift your quarters, so as to
make room for me and the three officers with me; beyond that you
will continue, as before, to use the ship as passengers."

When darkness set in, the pursuit was discontinued. The French
fleet was fully ten miles ahead, and it was evident that there was
no chance, whatever, of overtaking it; while there was a risk of
its doubling back during the night, and again making its way
north. The greater part of the sails of the men-of-war were
therefore furled, while the frigates and corvettes made off, on
either hand, to establish themselves as sentries during the night,
and to give warning should the French fleet be seen returning. An
hour and a half after the pursuit had ceased, the Salisbury joined
the fleet, and the officer in command went on board the admiral's
ship, to report the number of prisoners taken and the nature of
her cargo.

The officers had, at his invitation, dined with him and his
officers in the cabin. All political topics had been avoided, and
no one who had looked in would have supposed that the majority of
those present were the prisoners of the others. The Irish
temperament quickly shakes off a feeling of depression, and the
meal was as lively as it had been during the voyage north.

The lieutenant, however, omitted no precaution. A dozen men kept
guard over the prisoners below, and as many more, with loaded
muskets, were always stationed on deck. The Irish officers saw
that, among many of the sailors, there was a strong feeling of
sympathy with them. The fleet had been largely recruited by
impressment; and by the handing over, to the naval authorities, of
numbers of men imprisoned for comparatively slight offences; and,
as was natural, these had but s