the captain was on deck, and
turned round, but the captain had gone down below. "I will inform him of
your message--I had no idea that he had quitted the deck;" and the first
lieutenant left me. I exchanged a few compliments and a little news with
the officers on deck, who appeared to be very gentlemanlike fellows,
when the first lieutenant requested my presence in the cabin. I
descended--the door was opened--I was announced by the first lieutenant,
and he quitted the cabin. I looked at the captain, who was sitting at
the table: he was a fine, stout man, with two or three ribands at his
button-hole, and a large pair of moustachios. I thought that I had seen
him before, but I could not recollect when: his face was certainly
familiar to me, but, as I had been informed by the officers on deck,
that the captain was a Count Shucksen, a person I had never heard of, I
thought that I must be mistaken. I therefore addressed him in French,
paying him a long compliment, with all the necessary _et ceteras_.

The captain turned round to me, took his hand away from his forehead,
which it had shaded, and looking me full in the face, replied, "Mr
Simple, I don't understand but very little French. Spin your yarn in
plain English."

I started--"I thought that I knew your face," replied I; "am I
mistaken?--no, it must be--Mr Chucks!"

"You are right, my dear Mr Simple: it is your old friend, Chucks, the
boatswain, whom you now see. I knew you as soon as you came up the side,
and I was afraid that you would immediately recognize me, and I slipped
down into the cabin (for which apparent rudeness allow me to apologise),
that you might not explain before the officers."

We shook hands heartily, and then he requested me to sit down. "But,"
said I, "they told me on deck that the frigate was commanded by a Count
Shucksen."

"That is my present rank, my dear Peter," said he; "but as you have no
time to lose, I will explain all. I know I can trust to your honour. You
remember that you left me, as you and I supposed, dying in the
privateer, with the captain's jacket and epaulettes on my shoulders.
When the boats came out, and you left the vessel, they boarded and found
me. I was still breathing; and judging of my rank by the coat, they put
me into the boat, and pushed on shore. The privateer sank very shortly
after. I was not expected to live, but in a few days a change took
place, and I was better. They asked me my name, and I gave my own, w