"Mon Dieu!" he groaned, and seemed to relapse into unconsciousness. Once more opening his eyes he stared at Phil, and, recognising him as an English officer, stretched out his hand, while a look of relief and gladness overspread his face. "Mon cher, mon cher!" he cried joyfully. "Ah, zis is ze grand plaisir. Ah!" "Cheer up, my good fellow," said Phil kindly, patting him on the shoulder, for, overcome by emotion, the little man had burst into tears. "Come, tell us how you came to be wrecked like us. You speak our language, so we shall be able to understand." "Oui, monsieur, I speak ze language of ze English. Ah, I speak 'im well!" laughed the Frenchman, with some pride. "Once I live in England three months and act as a waiter. You wish to know how I came here. Ah, c'est terrible!" And he covered his face with his hands. "Now then, pull yerself together, little 'un!" exclaimed Tony encouragingly. "We're all in the same box. Fire away and let's have the yarn." "Eh, bien," said the little man, sitting up. "I leave my beloved France six months ago, and sail for to fight ze perfide Russian. Then after ze battle for Balaclava,--monsieur, what horsemen terrible are yours--I get ze malade; ze--what you call 'im--ah, ze water and ze cold do catch me here;" and placing his hands on his stomach, he rolled his eyes till the whites alone showed, and groaned dismally. "Ze officer say, `mon pauvre garcon!'" he continued, "and send me on the ship _Henri Cinq_." "What! you don't mean to say that that fine boat has gone down?" interrupted Phil. "Alas, monsieur, it is true!" the Frenchman answered, lifting his hands. "Behold, all is peace; ze sun 'e shine so brightly. Then ze tempest come, ze ship fight bravely, and then rush on the land. `Sauve qui peut', ze captain shout, and I tie myself here. Then I think of my country, and all is dark. I wake, and you are here, mon cher. Aha! what does he matter? Mais--ah, monsieur, mes pauvres camarades!" and once more the little man relapsed into tears. Meanwhile the wreckage had been rapidly drifting, and as the darkness lifted it became perfectly evident that the harbour into which the gale had swept them was indeed that on the shore of which Sebastopol was built. Soon sentries noticed the wreckage, and before long boats had put off to secure it, for wood was of value for fires. To offer any opposition was hopeless; the three were lifted into one of the boats, and were rowed swiftly into the inner harbour, where they were handed over to a guard. "Our second visit to this place," said Tony disgustedly. "Blow'd if it ain't the hardest luck as ever was. But I sha'n't grumble no more. We've come safe through when other lads have gone to their last. I say we was saved by a miracle." "Yes, indeed," agreed Phil. "We have much to be thankful for." "Then you have been prisonaire before?" asked the Frenchman, astonished. "We only escaped a matter of three weeks ago," answered Phil.