our fellow-sufferers to be adrift in that
boat?" demanded Renouf, unceremoniously cutting short my expression of
thanks. I could not help thinking that there was more than the
suspicion of a mocking sneer in the tone in which he uttered the words
"you and your fellow-sufferers". Moreover there was a distinct air of
discourtesy in his manner of interrupting me, and a suggestion of
antagonism in his flashing eyes that put me on my guard; so, curbing a
very decided disposition to make a resentful retort, I answered:

"The gig was one of the boats of the late East Indiaman _Manilla_, which
the _Dolphin_ had recaptured from a French privateer named the _Tigre_,
and which was afterwards set on fire by lightning and destroyed. I was
prize-officer in charge of the _Manilla_ at the time; hence my presence
in one of her boats."

"And how came you, sir, to be chief officer on board a British
privateer?" now demanded Renouf.

I could not, for the life of me, comprehend the drift of this question,
but there was no mistaking the insolent intonation of it. I therefore
answered, rather haughtily:

"Pardon me, sir, if I say that I cannot see what possible concern a
Frenchman can have in such a matter as that which you have just referred
to."

"You cannot, eh?" he retorted, with a sudden flash of temper. "Then I
will explain to you, my fine fellow. I asked the question because I
feel curious to know what induced a French citizen to become a renegade
and take up arms against his own country. You are a Breton, sir. I
recognise you as such by your unmistakable dialect. And if I am not
greatly mistaken you hail from Morlaix, in the streets of which town I
am certain I have met that lanky carcase of yours hundreds of times.
Nay, do not interrupt me! I will not have it--"

"But I must and will interrupt you, Captain Renouf," I broke in, despite
his efforts to talk me down. "What you assert is simply ridiculous,
sir. No man in his senses would ever mistake my imperfect French for
Breton or any other dialect than that of an Englishman. What your
motive may be for endeavouring to persuade yourself that I am a fellow-
countryman of your own I cannot guess; but I reject the suggestion with
scorn. I am an Englishman, as you are certainly quite aware, and I
insist upon being treated as such. It was my intention to have asked
parole for myself and my four fellow-countrymen; but with a captain
possessed of such extraordinary hallu