two points free for the French coast.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

We have great Hopes of not seeing the Inside of a French Prison,
but we are disappointed.

"Well, Tom, this is a bad job," said Bramble to me, taking his seat upon
the hencoop aft. "By to-morrow noon, unless we fall in with a
cruiser--and I see little chance of that--we shall be locked up in a
French prison; ay, and Heaven knows how long we may stay there! What's
to become of poor little Bessy? I'm sure I don't know. I must contrive
to write over to lawyer Wilson, and put him in charge of everything. But
I'm sorry for you, my poor lad; it's hard for you to be locked up,
perhaps for years, when you might have been making money for yourself."

"Well, it can't be helped, father; we must make the best of it," replied
I, with a deep sigh, for I was anything but happy at the prospect.

"If it had not been for that swaggering coward this might not have
happened," replied Bramble. "It's somewhat my own fault. I was so
anxious to frighten him about nothing that at last I run us into real
danger, and I might have known that he never would have fought, although
I certainly had no idea of falling in with a privateer. Well, Tom, we
must not lose a chance."

[Illustration: BRAMBLE AND JACK CARRIED INTO A FRENCH PORT.--Marryat,
Vol X. p. 331.]

"How do you mean?"

"I mean that if there is any possibility of getting away, I shall; and
you, of course, will not stay behind. I don't know where they are going
to, but you see, Tom, our only chance of getting off is while we are on
the coast; if once we are marched into the interior, why, then it will
be almost hopeless. What we must try for is to get away at the port
where we land. We shall see."

"I am afraid that there's very little chance for us," replied I; "but
I'm ready to attempt anything."

"We shall see, Tom--where there's a will there's a way. However, it's no
use talking about it just now." Here Bramble filled his pipe, took out
his flint and steel, and lighted it.

After smoking for ten minutes, during which I stood by him, he said, "I
wonder where they will take us to--St. Malo's or Morlaix; for the course
they are steering will fetch, I should think, thereabout. One thing is
certain--they've got a good prize, and they mean to keep it if they can;
and, my eyes! if they won't make a fuss about it! A ship with twelve
guns taken by a lugger with only six! They'll make the ship mount
eighte