an; and I will send you down some
breakfast presently. And, monsieur, you may rely upon my goodwill; I
admire courage wherever I see it, whether in friend or in enemy, and you
have proved that you possess it. If I find it in my power to do
anything to help you, I will."

The place in which I now found myself confined was a small apartment
that was apparently used upon occasion as an auxiliary store-room, for
there were a number of barrels and cases of various sizes in it, as well
as what had the appearance of being spare sails. As the place was
constructed in the depths of the ship, and considerably below the level
of the water-line, there was no window to give light to it, the only
light which reached it being as much as could find its way down through
the partially open hatchway, some ten feet above. I was therefore able
to observe my surroundings only very indistinctly even after I had been
some time in the place and my eyes had become accustomed to the gloom of
it. The mate was as good as his word in the matter of breakfast, a man
bringing down to me a most excellent and substantial meal after I had
been incarcerated for nearly an hour. I discussed the food with relish,
for I was hungry, and then sat impatiently awaiting the moment when my
fate should be made known to me. But hour after hour passed without
word or sign from the man who held my destiny in the hollow of his hand;
and it was not until late in the afternoon that the carpenter appeared
and, removing my irons, requested me to follow him. He conducted me up
the steep ladder leading to the main-deck and into the main cabin, where
Captain Tourville was sitting alone. There was silence for a full
minute after the carpenter had ushered me into the cabin and closed the
door behind me. Tourville remained seated at the end of the table, with
one hand clenched on the cloth before him, while with the other he
plucked quickly and impatiently at his thick beard and then combed it
through with his fingers, "glowering" moodily at me meanwhile, in an
absent-minded fashion, as though he scarcely realised my presence. At
length he pulled himself together with an effort, and, pointing to the
lockers, said:

"Be seated, monsieur, and have the kindness to tell me who and what you
are; and how you come to be on board my ship. I have only heard my
chief mate's story as yet."

Whereupon I proceeded to give him the required information, as briefly
as possible, not