."

"_C'est vrai_," replied the Frenchman, composedly, and I then quitted
the cabin, and went on board of the Arrow.

"Well, Elrington," said Captain Levee, "what do you intend to do with
the French captain? Is he to pay the forfeit, and awing at the
yard-arm?"

"I don't like hanging a man, especially a brave man, in cold blood," I
replied. "It was all his wife's doing, and he has confessed as much."

"He would certainly have hanged you," replied Levee.

"Yes, that I believe; but it would have been that he might have a quiet
life at home--not from any resentment against me. Now I have no feeling
of that kind to actuate me."

"What will you do, then?"

"Not hang him, certainly; and yet I should like to punish her."

"She deserves it," replied Captain Levee. "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 bravad