Now, mon gars, to your duty!" and to my amazement I was alive, unflogged, and believed.
Perhaps it was a harsh test and an over cruel jest.

But the man had no means of coming at the truth, and if he had shot me none could have said a word against it.
For me, I said simply, "I thank you, monsieur," and went to my duty.
My shipmates were for making much of me, in their rough and excited way, but I begged them to leave me to myself for a time, till I was quite sure I was still alive.

And they did so at last, and I heard them debating among themselves how it could be that an Englishman could speak French as freely as they did themselves.
I had no cause to complain of my treatment on board the _Josephine_ after that.

The life was far less rigorous than on our own ships, and the living far more ample.

If only I could have sent word of my welfare to those at home, who must by this time, I knew, be full of fears for me, I could have been fairly content.