ivateer
captain to an end, and O'Carroll assured me that all his unpleasant
monomaniacal feelings with regard to him had been, as he hoped,
completely dissipated. As we were about to leave the ship Captain Young
politely invited us to remain and dine with him. He showed much
interest in O'Carroll's account of his misfortunes, and finally arranged
that he should take the command of one of the vessels in the harbour to
convey the emigrants to New South Wales. I, of course, received no
direct communication from Captain Hassall, but from the information
Captain Young gave me I had great hopes that the _Barbara_, instead of
sailing immediately for the east, had gone to the coast of Madagascar,
in which direction the _Phoebe_ herself was bound. Captain Young
offered me a passage should I wish to rejoin my ship. The Indiaman
being refitted for sea by the united exertions of all the crews, we all
sailed out of the harbour in succession, the _Phoebe_ leading. The
_Mignonne_, with her prize crew and some of the prisoners on board, was
bound for the Mauritius, to give information of the capture of the
island; the emigrant ship was bound for New South Wales, the Indiaman
for Calcutta, we for Madagascar. I went on board the _Argo_, the ship
commanded by O'Carroll. I found him well satisfied with his change of
circumstances. There was only one thing about which he was concerned.
La Roche, though still a captive, was alive, and might soon regain his
liberty.

"If he does I'm sure that he will cause me trouble again," he observed.
"I don't know what causes it, but I even now cannot think of the
venomous little man without a feeling of dread--a creeping sensation,
Braithwaite. Do you know what it is?"

"Not exactly," said I. "But the remedy I suggest is not to think of
him. Whenever his image appears banish him with a kick. Or, let me be
serious, O'Carroll. Is it not our own fault if we go on living in fear
of death all our life long! Put your trust in God, and fear not what
man can do to you."

"You are right! you are right!" exclaimed O'Carroll, warmly; "it is just
the want of doing that has made me--no coward, as you know--constantly
tremble at unseen dangers. Henceforward I will try to follow your
advice."

"Do," said I; "and depend on it your dread of the little Frenchman will
completely and for ever vanish."

I parted from O'Carroll--as honest a man as ever broke a biscuit--with
the sincere hope that we shou