One thing was sure, he could not hide.

Some audacious parade of himself promised the only hope.

Marking that the sailors, not being of the regular navy, wore no uniform, and perceiving that his jacket was the only garment on him which bore any distinguishing badge, our adventurer took it off, and privily dropped it overboard, remaining now in his dark blue woollen shirt and blue cloth waistcoat.
What the more inspirited Israel to the added step now contemplated, was the circumstance that the ship was not a Frenchman's or other foreigner, but her crew, though enemies, spoke the same language that he did.
So very quietly, at last, he goes aloft into the maintop, and sitting down on an old sail there, beside some eight or ten topmen, in an off-handed way asks one for tobacco.
"Give us a quid, lad," as he settled himself in his seat.
"Halloo," said the strange sailor, "who be you?
Get out of the top! The fore and mizzentop men won't let us go into their tops, and blame me if we'll let any of their gangs come here.

So, away ye go." "You're blind, or crazy, old boy," rejoined Israel.

"I'm a topmate; ain't I, lads ?" appealing to the rest.
"There's only ten maintopmen belonging to our watch; if you are one, then there'll be eleven," said a second sailor.