"_Ah mon ami_--Seymour, I believe--midshipman, I believe," cried Debriseau. "_Est-ce donc vous? Mais, mon Dieu, que c'est drole_" (again pulling his hair as he grinded his teeth) "_Un diable de rencontre_!" "And how is it that you have been on board of a French man-of-war?" "How! oh, I was unlucky after McElvina went away, and I thought, on reflection, notwithstanding his arguments, that it was a dishonest sort of concern. Being pretty well acquainted with the coasts, I shipped on board as pilot." "But, Debriseau, are you not a native of Guernsey, which is part of the British dominions?" "Bah! it's all one, _mon ami_; we islanders are like the bat in the fable--beast or bird, as it suits us--we belong to either country. For my own part, I have a strong national affection for _both_." The conversation was here interrupted by the entrance of the boatswain, who had remained outside, in charge of the cask of rum, upon which he had seated himself occupied with his Bible. "Here's assistance coming, Mr Seymour. There's at least twenty or thirty men descending the hill." "Hurrah for old Ireland! they are the boys that will look after a friend in distress," shouted Conolly, one of the seamen, who thus eulogised his own countrymen, as he hung naked over the fire. CHAPTER FIFTY SIX. With dauntless hardihood And brandish'd blade rush on him, And shed the luscious liquor on the ground, ...though he and his cursed crew Fierce sign of battle make, and menace high. MILTON. The information received from Mr Hardsett induced our hero to break off his conversation with Debriseau, and he immediately quitted the hut. A party of men, wild in their appearance and demeanour, were bounding down through the rocks, flourishing their bludgeons over their heads, with loud shouts. They soon arrived within a few yards of the shealing, and, to the astonishment of Seymour and the boatswain, who, with a dozen more, had resumed their clothes, seemed to eye them with hostile, rather than with friendly glances. Their intentions were, however, soon manifested by their pouncing upon the habiliments of the seamen which were spread out to dry, holding them rolled up under one arm, while they flourished their shillelahs in defiance with the other. "Avast there, my lads!" cried the boatswain "why are you meddling with those clothes?" A shout, with confused answers in Irish, was the incomprehensible reply. "Conolly," cried Seymour, "you can speak to them. Ask them what they mean?" Conolly addressed them in Irish, when an exchange of a few sentences took place.