ject."

The moment I said this I regretted it, as it struck me that it was like
instigating Larry to do what I would not do myself. The effect on him
was what I supposed my words would produce, for he at once replied,
"Thin, shure, overboard they go before the world's many hours older."

"No, no, Larry! you mistake me," I exclaimed. "That's just what I don't
want you to do. If it has to be done, I'll do it myself, and I forbid
you to touch the packet I insist on your promising me that you will
not."

Very unwillingly Larry gave the promise, and I knew that I could trust
him. I then let the subject drop, regretting that I had broached it to
my faithful follower.

"If the Frenchman choose to hang me, I will not bring the same fate on
him," I thought.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

LIFFY AHOY!

Day after day went by. Though we occasionally saw a sail, we kept out
of her way.

At length, one morning the look-out shouted, "A sail on the starboard
quarter!"

We were just then setting royals, which we did not carry at night. We
watched the stranger. "She has borne up in chase," cried La Touche, who
had gone aloft.

Dubois immediately ordered the brig to be kept before the wind, and
studding-sails to be set on either side. The wind freshened, and away
we flew before it. The brig being lightly laden, it was her best point
of sailing, as I had observed. It took us out of our course, however.
I sincerely hoped that the wind would increase, and that it should carry
away some of our spars, and thus enable our pursuer to come up with us,
for I took it for granted that she was English. The Frenchmen watched
her eagerly, for we could see her topsails from the deck.

"Do you think we shall get away from her?" I asked La Touche in an
indifferent tone, as if it were a matter of no consequence to me.

"I hope so," he replied. "This brig is a regular little fly-away, and
your frigates are not generally fast sailers."

"But why do you think she is one of our frigates?" I asked. "She may
be French after all, and you may be running away from a friend."

"I think she is English, because none of our cruisers are likely to be
hereabouts at present," he answered; and then, as if he had said
something without thought, correcting himself, he added, "Of course she
may be French; but we think it safest to keep out of the way of all
men-of-war."

The topsails of the stranger rose gradually above the horizon; she was
evidentl