f
gratitude that evidently came from his heart, "you've saved my life this
time, and no mistake. I never thought I should taste a drop of good
brandy again in this world."

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

WE PART COMPANY.

While Garry O'Neil and I were attending to the two French sailors who,
though they had been a good bit knocked about in the course of the
protracted struggle, were not seemingly very seriously hurt, suffering
more, indeed, from want of proper food and rest than from the slight
wounds they had received, we heard loud cries and a sort of dull moaning
that appeared to proceed from the after part of the saloon.

Going thither at once, Captain Applegarth knocked with his knuckles on
the panel of the closed door of one of the larger state rooms, running
athwart the ship from whence the sounds proceeded.

"Hullo, within there!" he shouted, "what's the matter? What's the row?
Come out!"

A shrill scream was the only response to his inquiries.

"What's the matter?" repeated the skipper, speaking in a gentler tone.
"You have nothing to fear. We're all friends here!"

The cries and confused noises continued, however, and the skipper
thereupon resumed his knocking, this time more forcibly, and with his
fists aided by a kick from his heavy boot against the lower part of the
still closed door.

At this imperative summons the shrieking ceased, and we heard a feeble
voice within, calling out in French-- "Mercy! for the love of God!" we
could distinguish amidst a plentitude of sobs and violent groans in a
deeper key. "Ah! brave Haytians! Have pity, and spare our lives!"

"Hang it all, you cowards, we're _not_ those cursed Haytians, and I wish
you could have been left to their mercy! It is only what you deserve!"
roared the skipper, infuriated and out of all patience at the
Frenchwoman's mistake and her appealing in such terms to the murderous
scoundrels, of whom we had made so summary an end. "We're Englishmen;
we're your friends, I tell you, true-hearted British sailors, who have
come to rescue you, so open the door!"

But Madame Boisson, who, of course, was his interlocutrice behind the
door, remained obdurate.

"Ah! the false English," she cried, "down with the pigs!"

At this the skipper laughed grimly, and all standing near him were much
amused.

"She's a good specimen of her race," cried the captain. "They always
abuse other nations and cry out that they are betrayed when ill luck
comes to th