"I hope not, Toby," I answered. "If they take us, buttons and all, we shall stick in their throats, that's one comfort. However, we will try and put a good face on the matter, and, whatever happens, we won't be cast down; only I hope they will not treat us as we have often treated miller's-thumbs, and throw us into the water again." While Toby and I were exchanging remarks, the Frenchmen were talking to each other and occasionally asking us questions, I supposed; but as we did not understand a word of each other's language, neither party was much the wiser. I looked about me. The lugger's decks were crowded with men, and she had several guns cast loose, ready for action. She was, there could be no doubt, a privateer. I knew that the crews of such vessels were often composed of the worst and most unscrupulous of characters, and I expected nothing very pleasant at their hands. At last the captain, who had been looking out forward at our ship, came up to us. "So, you one little officer of dat frigate dere," he observed. "Yes," said I, rather proudly; "I have that honour." "Sa--!" He gave forth a particularly unpleasant sound from his throat, "You betes Anglish, you send my wessel to bottom last cruise, and sixty of my braves-garcons wid her. I vow I send every Anglishman I catch to look for them. S-a-a--." He looked so vicious that I thought he would execute his threat forthwith. I did my best, however, to put on a bold front. "Whereabouts did this happen, Monsieur?" I asked quite coolly. "Some twenty leagues to eastward dere," he answered, looking hard at me. "And which way is the tide making," I inquired. I happened to have heard the master observe just before I went aloft, that the tide had only then made to the westward. "It is vat you call ebb," said the French captain. "Then you see, monsieur, that there is no use throwing us overboard just now, because we should drift away to the westward, and your late vessel and crew must be somewhere to the eastward," said I, as boldly as I could, though I had no little difficulty in getting out the words. "Ah! you von Jack-a-napes, you von poule--littel fighting coc, I see," he remarked in an altered tone. "Vell, you stay aboard; you sweep my cabin; you like dat better dan drown." "Certainly, monsieur, very much better," said I, considerably relieved; "I shall be very happy to serve you in any way I can, consistent with my honour, and perhaps you'll let this boy here help me?" "Bah, no!" answered the captain, giving a contemptuous glance at poor Toby. "He only fit to sweep out de fore hold." I saw that it would not be wise to say anything more, so I held my tongue. The captain said a few words to the men, and while one led poor Toby forward, another conducted me towards the companion-hatch. Toby turned an imploring look at me, and struggled violently.