Ithuel's expedient had not sufficed; the vigilant Captain Cuffe, alias Sir Brown, who commanded the Proserpine, not being a man likely to be mystified by so stale a trick.

Had he been on the quarter-deck of the frigate, he would have ascertained, through the benedictions bestowed by Captain Cuffe, that his ruse had so far succeeded as to cause that officer to attribute his unintelligible answer to ignorance, rather than to design.

The vessel to windward was not the first lugger, by fifty, that Captain Cuffe had assisted in chasing, and he knew the hopelessness of following such a craft under circumstances so directly adapted to its qualities.

Captain Cuffe of that ship, the frigate you saw off your harbor this morning, has sent me down in the felucca that got in this evening to communicate intelligence concerning the lugger which we chased to the southward about nine o'clock, but which, I see, is again snug at her anchor in this bay.

"From what passed this morning, Captain Cuffe has thought it probable that Monsieur Yvard, for some reason best known to himself, would come back here as soon as he was rid of us, or that, finding himself on the south side of the island, he might put into Porto Longone; and, had I not met him here, I was to get a horse and ride across to the latter place and make my arrangements there.

Captain Cuffe has furnished me with other proofs, which you can look over at your leisure.

This was a great deal toward convicting the Signore Smees of imposition, though both the vice-governatore and the podestà were of opinion that Captain Cuffe might yet be mistaken as to the identity of the lugger.

Once convinced, however, shame, revenge, and mortification united with duty to quicken their exertions and to render them willing assistants in executing the schemes of Captain Cuffe.

"Well, sir," commenced Cuffe, as soon as his lieutenant came into the after-cabin, without offering him a seat"here we are; and out yonder two or three leagues at sea is the dd Few-Folly!"

" "I beg your pardon, Captain Cuffe," answered Griffin, who found himself compelled to appear a delinquent, whatever might be the injustice of the stiuation; "it could not be helped.

" "Not so much like a Neapolitan, I hope, Captain Cuffe, as like a Tuscan or a Roman," returned Griffin, biting his lip.

" "You know, Captain Cuffe, it has all along been your wish to take her alive.

" "We could not prevent it, Captain Cuffe.

"Far nientes, sir; which is a nickname we give these siesta-gentry, you know, Captain Cuffe.

Thus terminated the setting-down, like many others that Captain Cuffe had resolved to give, but which usually ended in a return to good-nature and reason.

It was overheard by Cuffe, however, who just at that instant stepped into the gangway to make an examination for himself.

" Strand was a gray-headed seaman, and he had served with Captain Cuffe when the latter was a midshipman, and had even commanded the top of which the present boatswain had been the captain.

Cuffe walked aft in a thoughtful manner and descended to his cabin again; but a servant soon came up, to say that the captain desired to see the first lieutenant.

" "Quite true, Captain Cuffe; and yet this is the only chance that the lieutenants have for getting ahead a little out of the regular course.

Captain Cuffe wished to say battue; but, despising foreign languages, he generally made sad work with them whenever he did condescend to resort to their terms, however familiar.

Thus far everything was favorable to the wishes of Captain Cuffe and his followers.

Captain Cuffe was aware that his enterprise had failed as soon as he perceived the lugger under her canvas, playing around the felucca, and the boats held in perfect command.

" "I was about to say, Captain Cuffe, that had not the lugger fired her first broadside just as she did, and had she given us time to get out of the range of her shot, we should have come in upon her before she could have loaded again, and carried her in spite of the breeze that so much favored her.

" "Very true, Captain Cuffe, but not a Frenchman entered her while we were there" "Yes, I now see how it wasthrew all hands into the boats in chase, the felucca being too unwieldy and every effort to get alongside unsuccessful.

" In this Captain Cuffe was nearer right than in anything else he uttered on the occasion.