"James!--our duke! there he is!" cried enthusiastically the three peers, who, leaning over the taffrail of the frigate, at once recognized the duke. The brigantine then lay to; the two ships remained immovable. Lord Mortimer, Lord Dudley and Lord Rothsay gave vent to cries of the wildest joy at the sight of the Duke of Monmouth. "James! our brave duke!--to see you--to see you again at last!" "Is it possible? you are the Duke of Monmouth, my lord?" cried De Chemerant. "Yes, I am James of Monmouth," said the duke, "as is proved by the joyful acclamations of my friends." "Yes, there is our James!" "It is he indeed, this time!" "It is indeed our duke, our veritable duke!" cried the noblemen. "Your highness, I have been most unworthily deceived since day before yesterday, by a miserable wretch who has taken your name." "Yes, and we are going to hang him in honor of you!" cried Dudley. "Be careful how you do that," said Monmouth; "the one whom you call a miserable wretch has saved me with the most generous devotion, and I come, De Chemerant, to take his place on board your ship, if he is in any danger for having taken mine." "Surely, your highness," said De Chemerant, seizing this occasion of assuring himself of the person of the prince, "it is necessary that you should come on board; it is the only means by which you can save this vile impostor." "That is, if this 'vile impostor' does not save himself, however," said Croustillac, springing upon the taffrail and leaping into the sea. The movement was so sudden that no one could oppose it. The Gascon plunged under the waves, and reappeared at a short distance from the brigantine, toward which he directed his course. There was but a short distance between the two vessels; the Chameleon was almost level with the sea; the chevalier, aided by the Duke of Monmouth and some of the sailors, found himself on the deck of the little ship before the passengers on the frigate had recovered from their surprise. "Here is my savior, the most generous of men!" said Monmouth, embracing Croustillac. Then James said a few words in the ear of Croustillac, who disappeared with Captain Ralph. The duke, advancing to the edge of the stern of the brigantine, addressed himself to De Chemerant: "I know, sir, the projects of the king, my uncle, James Stuart, and those of the king, your master; I know that these brave gentlemen come to offer me their arms to aid me in driving William of Orange from the throne of England." "Yes, yes, when you shall be at our head we will drive away these Dutch rats," cried Mortimer. "Come, come, our duke, with you we will go to the end of the world," said Dudley. "My lord, you may count on the support of the king, my master. Once on board, I will communicate to you my full powers," cried De Chemerant, ravished to see that his mission, which he had believed desperate, revived with every chance of success.