against my own country." And I went on quickly, in spite of the frown I saw
gathering on his face. "I will do any duty put upon me to the best of my
power, but fight against my country I cannot."

He looked at me curiously, and said sharply, "A sailor on board ship obeys
orders. Is it not so?"

"Surely, monsieur. But I am a prisoner. And as an Englishman I cannot fight
against my country. Could monsieur do so in like case?"

"This is rank mutiny, you know."

"I do not mean it so, monsieur, I assure you."

"And was this the important information you had to give me?"

"No, monsieur, it was this. The man who brought me prisoner on board
here,--monsieur knows him?"

"Undoubtedly! He has made himself known."

"Better perhaps than you imagine, monsieur. The merchants of Havre and
Cherbourg will thank you for this that I tell you now. Torode to the
English, Main Rouge to the French--he lives on Herm, the next isle to
Sercq, where I myself live. He is the most successful privateer in all
these waters. And why? I will tell you, monsieur. It is because he robs
French ships as an English privateer, and English ships as a French
privateer. He changes his skin as he goes and plunders under both flags."

"Really! That is a fine fairy tale. On my word it is worthy almost of La