Stepping forward a few paces, and taking advantage of the lull, I was proceeding to address the prisoners in the most conciliatory terms, when the privateersman--a tall, strong, and swarthy fellow from Martinique--with silver rings in his ears, and naked to the waist, rushed upon me with a knife, in eluding which I stumbled and fell. On seeing this, believing me to be stabbed, Tom Kirkton cried-- "Let us shoot them down--fire!" Then a volley of carbines was poured in. This shot the privateersman and another dead, and severely wounded ten more. A terrible scene then took place at the hatchways, as the fugitives scrambled, tumbled, and rolled over each other--falling through in heaps in their haste to escape to the lower hold, cockpit, cable-tier, or anywhere; all save those who lay on the deck, and one, a many in tattered uniform, who stood calmly with arms folded, and with his back to the mainmast, eyeing us with steady disdain, as if waiting for the next platoon. With my sword drawn, I stepped forward to question this rash man, and then judge my emotion on recognising in him the--Chevalier de Boisguiller! CHAPTER XXIII. "TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION." "Fire--kill me!" exclaimed the chevalier, proudly and fiercely; "I have no desire to live after the degradation to which you have subjected me--I, an officer of the Queen's Hussars, and a chevalier of the order. _Ah, sacré!_ perfidious English--you know not how to make war." "Monsieur de Boisguiller, have you already forgot me--and our meetings in the chateau of Bourgneuf, and the forest of St. Aubin du Cormier?" His expression changed on recognising me; but perceiving my epaulettes, gorget, and sash-- "_Pardieu!_" he exclaimed, with a grimace on his lip, and fire flashing in his eyes; "we seem to have changed places with a vengeance, Monsieur l'Ecossais!" He said something more, but his voice was rendered incoherent by the shame and passion, pride and mortification, which almost made him weep. I turned to Lieutenant I----, of the _Alceste_, and inquired how it came to pass that the chevalier, whom I knew to be a brave and honourable French officer, should be found in a plight so deplorable, and thrust among such associates. "He was sent on board here for attempting to kill the captain of one of our privateers," replied the naval officer briefly, and with a contemptuous glance at the Frenchman. "I shall tell you how it came to pass, monsieur; _you_ will believe me?" said the chevalier, turning to me earnestly. "Assuredly, monsieur."