I had breakfasted the next morning, and packed up my clothes preparatory to going on board, and had just returned from a visit of leave-taking with the governor, when who should walk up into my apartment but the French captain of the privateer, accompanied by three or four French officers of the army. I perceived by his looks when he entered that he was a little excited, but I met him cordially. He began a conversation about his action with Captain Weatherall, and instead of speaking handsomely as he had done before, he used expressions which I considered offensive, and I at once took him up by observing that being under a flag of truce, it was impossible for me to notice what he said. "No," he replied; "but I wish we were once more on the high seas together, for I have a little debt of gratitude to pay off." "Well," I replied, "you may have; and I should not be sorry to give you an opportunity, if it were possible." "May I inquire whether you intend to go home as a cartel, and carry your flag of truce to Liverpool?" "No, Sir," I replied; "I shall haul down my flag of truce as soon as I am out of gun-shot of your batteries. I understand what you mean, Sir. It is very true that your vessel carries nearly double the number of men and guns that mine does, but nevertheless I shall haul down my flag of truce, as I say I will." "Not if I follow you down the river, I presume?" he said with a sort of sneer. "Follow me, if you dare," I cried; "you will meet with your master, depend upon it." "Sacre!" replied he, in a passion, "I will blow you out of the water; and if I take you I will hang you for a pirate." "Not the last, certainly," I said coolly. "Look you, Sir," he cried, shutting his fist upon the palm of his other hand, "if I take you, I will hang you; and if you take me, you may serve me in the same way. Is it a bargain, or are you a coward?" "Gentlemen," I said to the officers present, "you must feel that your countryman is not behaving well. He has insulted me grossly. I will, however, consent to his terms on one condition, which is, that he will permit one of you, after he has sailed, to make known the conditions upon which we fight to his wife; and that one of you will pledge me his honour that he will impart these conditions as soon as we are gone." "Agree to do so--pledge yourself to do so, Xavier," cried the French captain to one of the officers present. "Since you wish it, certainly," he said. "You pledge yourself to make the conditions known to Madam, as soon as we have sailed?" "I do, upon the honour of an officer and a gentleman," replied he, "painful as it will be to me." "Then, captain," I replied, "I agree to your conditions, and one or the other of us shall hang."