"Then," replied I, "I will be very candid with you. I have been driven, as it were, on board of your vessel, but certainly without knowing exactly what she was. Now, captain, I have to ask you one question:-- Would you, if you could go on shore in England, with plenty of money at your command, and plenty of good friends,--would you be here?" "No; certainly not," replied he. "Well; I am in that position. If once in England, I have money enough to live upon, and plenty of friends; I therefore naturally want to get back to England, and not to run the risk of my neck on board of this vessel." "That's very true," replied he, "but there are other considerations; my men won't have a man on board who will not swear fidelity, and if you will not, I cannot protect you,--they will throw you overboard. We don't carry passengers." "That's very true, also; and I will swear fidelity so far as this, that you never shall be betrayed by me, and I never will appear as a witness against one of you; it were most ungrateful if I did. While I am on board, I will do any duty you please to put me to, for I cannot expect to eat my bread for nothing." "And suppose we come to action?" "There's the difficulty," replied I; "against an English ship I never will fight." "But if we are opposed to any other nation, and there is a chance of our being overpowered?" "Why, then, if you are overpowered, as I shall be flung along with the rest, I think I must do all I can to save my own life; but, overpowered or not, I will not fire a shot or draw a cutlass against my own countrymen." "Well, I cannot deny but that's all very fair." "I think," replied I, "it is as much as you can expect; especially as I never will share any prize-money." "Well; I will talk to the men, and hear what they say; but, now, answer me one question--Are you not a seaman?" "I will answer the truth to everything; I am a seaman, and I have commanded a privateer. I have served many years in privateers, and have seen a great deal of hard fighting." "So I thought," replied he; "and now answer me another question,--Was it not you that played that trick to that French privateer captain at Bordeaux?" "Yes it was," replied I; "but how came you to know that?" "Because I was the mate of a merchant vessel that had been captured, and I saw you three or four times as you passed the vessel I was on board of; for, being put in quarantine, we were not sent to prison till the pratique was given. I thought that I knew you again." "I have no concealment to make." "No: but I will tell you candidly, my men, if they knew all this, would not allow you to leave the vessel. Indeed, you might be captain if you pleased, for I do not suit them. Our captain--for I was his officer-- was killed about six months ago; and I really am not fit for the office--I am too tender-hearted." "Well; you don't look so," replied I, laughing.