w, in reality, we ought to consider ourselves _very_ fortunate," he
continued. "We might have been captured by a set of ruffianly fellows,
who would have robbed us and ill-treated us in every way. Instead of
that, the crew are the best sort of privateer's-men I ever fell in with.
The captain and first mate are very good, kind-hearted men. They have
both of them been made prisoners themselves, and have spent a year or
more in England. They tell me that they lore the English, for that they
were treated with the greatest kindness all the time they were in
England, and that they wish to repay that kindness, though I must say
they take an odd way to show their lore by fitting out a vessel to go
and rob them on the high seas; but I suppose that is their profession,
and they cannot help it."

While La Motte was speaking, a fine-looking man came up, and, taking him
by the arm, addressed him as his _bon ami_, and told him that dinner was
ready.

La Motte thanked him, and then told him that I was an old shipmate, and
hoped that he would extend the same kindness to me that he had done to
him.

My new friend was, I found, the mate of the privateer. He said
certainly, and begged that I would at once come down and join them at
dinner. At first I was inclined to refuse, as I thought Mr Randolph
would consider me presuming if I was to go and sit down at table with
him; but La Motte, finding that he was a sensible, good-natured young
officer, undertook to explain matters to him.

We found Mr Randolph and the captain already seated at the table. La
Motte, in a few words, explained that I was an old friend and shipmate
of his, and that if I was not, I ought to be an officer, and hoped that
he would not be offended.

Mr Randolph laughed, and said certainly not, and I soon felt at my
ease.

The Frenchmen were in high glee at the number of prizes they had taken,
and, as they had a fair wind, they folly expected in a couple of days,
at furthest, to be safe within the harbour of Saint Malo. I knew from
sad experience that there is many a slip between the cup and the lip,
and I hoped that we might yet, before we reached the looked-for harbour,
fall in with a man-of-war or a bigger privateer and be recaptured; of
course I did not give expression to my wishes, but in such a chance my
only hope rested of reaching home.

After dinner I went on deck again, and continued pacing up and down,
anxiously scanning the horizon in the hope