ile Mr. Clements attempted to shut the door that
separated us, though, from some cause or other, he did not exactly effect
his object. In consequence of this neglect, I overheard the
following dialogue:

"I hope, my lord," said Clements, "you will not think of taking away the
mate and the black. They are both first-rate men, and both well affected
to his Majesty's service. The negro was of great use aloft, during the
late action, while the mate fought at a gun, like a tiger, for the better
part of an hour. We are somewhat short of hands, and I have counted on
inducing both these men to enter. There is the prize-money for the
Frenchman under our lee, you know, my lord; and I have little doubt of
succeeding."

"I'm sorry duty compels me to take all three, Clements, but I'll bear what
you say in mind; perhaps we can get them to enter on board the Speedy. You
know it--"

Here Mr. Clements discovered that the door was not shut, and he closed it
tight, preventing my hearing any more. I now turned to Marble, whose
countenance betrayed the self-reproach he endured, at ascertaining the
injury he had done, by his ill-judged artifice. I made no reproaches,
however, but squeezed his hand in token of my forgiveness. The poor
fellow, I plainly saw, had great difficulty in forgiving himself; though
he said nothing at the moment.

The conference between Lord Harry Dermond and Mr. Clements, lasted half an
hour. At the end of that time, both appeared in the forward cabin, and I
saw by the countenance of the last, that he had failed in his object. As
for us, we were transferred, with the few articles we possessed, to the
Speedy, on board which ship our arrival made as much of a sensation as the
discipline of a man-of-war would permit. I was put in irons, the moment we
reached the quarter-deck, and placed under the charge of a sentinel near
the cabin-door. Some little attention was paid to my comfort, it is true,
and a canvass screen was fitted for me, behind which I ate and slept, with
some sort of retirement. My irons were of so large a sort, that I found
means to take them off, and to put them on, at pleasure. I was disposed to
think that the officers were aware of the fact, and that the things were
used as much for the sake of appearance as for anything else. Apart from
the confinement, and the injury done my affairs, I had no especial causes
of complaint, though this imprisonment lasted until the month of April
1804, or quite five