lutely
protesting it all to be impossible. Suddenly the tumult was hushed, the
crowd fell back, and as the clanking muskets proclaimed a "salute," a
whispered murmur announced the "General."

I could just see the waving plumes of his staff, as they passed up, and
then, as they were disappearing in the distance, they stopped, and one
hastily returned to the entrance of the church.

"Where is this fellow, let me see him," cried he, hurriedly, brushing
his way through the crowd. "Let him stand down; set him on his legs."

"He is too weak, capitaine," said a soldier.

"Place him in a chair, then," said the aid-de-camp, for such he was.
"You have made your escape from the English fleet, my man," continued
he, addressing me.

"I am an officer, and your comrade," replied I, proudly; for, with all
my debility, the tone of his address stung me to the quick.

"In what service, pray?" asked he, with a sneering look at my motley
costume.

"Your general shall hear where I have served, and how, whenever he is
pleased to ask me," was my answer.

"Ay, parbleu," cried three or four sous-officiers in a breath, "the
general shall see him himself."

And with a jerk they hoisted me once more on their shoulders, and with a
run--the regular storming tramp of the line--they advanced up the aisle
of the church, and never halted till within a few feet of where the
staff were gathered around the general. A few words--they sounded like a
reprimand--followed; a severe voice bade the soldiers "fall back," and I
found myself standing alone before a tall and very strongly built man,
with a large, red-brown beard; he wore a gray upper coat over his
uniform, and carried a riding whip in his hand.

"Get him a seat. Let him have a glass of wine," cried he, quickly, as he
saw the tottering efforts I was making to keep my legs. "Are you better
now?" asked he, in a voice which, rough as it was, sounded kindly.

Seeing me so far restored, he desired me to recount my late adventure,
which I did in the fewest words, and the most concise fashion I could.
Although never interrupting, I could mark that particular portions of my
narrative made much impression on him, and he could not repress a
gesture of impatience when I told him that I was impressed as a seaman
to fight against the flag of my own country.

"Of course, then," cried he, "you were driven to the alternative of this
attempt."

"Not so, general," said I, interrupting; "I had grown to be