rt time it became so
dark that we could scarcely see our hands held up before our eyes. As
to seeing the frigate, that was out of the question, even if she passed
close to us. Happily the gale did not increase, and we were able to
hold on to our frail raft. We couldn't talk much. I felt anything but
merry. Suddenly the grating received a blow, and I saw a dark object
rising up above us. I was thrown against it. It was the side of a
vessel. I should have been knocked off the grating had I not found a
stout rope in my hand. I drew Toby to me, we both clutched it; the
grating slipped from under our feet, and there we were hanging on to the
side of a strange craft. We shouted out, and were at once drawn on
board, and by the light of a lantern, which was held up to examine us, I
found that we were on board a small vessel, and surrounded by Frenchmen.

CHAPTER FOUR.

The craft on board which Toby Bluff and I so unexpectedly found
ourselves was a lugger, as I discovered by perceiving her yards lying
fore and aft along the decks. It was evident that her sails had been
lowered when the squall came on, and so she had not been observed as the
frigate shot by in the darkness. Owing to this circumstance our lives
had in all probability been saved. Not that I thought about that at the
time; on the contrary, from the fierce looks of our captors, I fancied
that they were going to knock us on the head, and I wished that we were
safe back on our raft again. Toby seemed to feel much as I did.

"Oh, Muster Merry! be these here fellows going to eat us?" he asked in a
tone of alarm.

"I hope not, Toby," I answered. "If they take us, buttons and all, we
shall stick in their throats, that's one comfort. However, we will try
and put a good face on the matter, and, whatever happens, we won't be
cast down; only I hope they will not treat us as we have often treated
miller's-thumbs, and throw us into the water again."

While Toby and I were exchanging remarks, the Frenchmen were talking to
each other and occasionally asking us questions, I supposed; but as we
did not understand a word of each other's language, neither party was
much the wiser. I looked about me. The lugger's decks were crowded
with men, and she had several guns cast loose, ready for action. She
was, there could be no doubt, a privateer. I knew that the crews of
such vessels were often composed of the worst and most unscrupulous of
characters, and I exp