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offing¡£
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It¡¡is¡¡a¡¡very¡¡serious¡¡matter£»¡¡a¡¡Council¡¡of¡¡War¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡had¡¡not¡¡held
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solemn¡¡treatment¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡in¡¡an¡¡affair¡¡that¡¡might¡¡almost¡¡be
called¡¡international£»¡¡it¡¡seemed¡¡well¡¡to¡¡proceed¡¡gravely¡¡and¡¡by
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chair¡£
The¡¡bo'sun¡¡had¡¡taken¡¡part¡¡in¡¡so¡¡many¡¡cuttings¡out¡¡during¡¡his¡¡past
career¡¡that¡¡practically¡¡he¡¡did¡¡all¡¡the¡¡talking£»¡¡and¡¡was¡¡the
Council¡¡of¡¡War¡¡himself¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡to¡¡be¡¡an¡¡affair¡¡of¡¡boats£»¡¡he
explained¡£¡¡¡¡A¡¡boat's¡crew¡¡would¡¡be¡¡told¡¡off¡¡to¡¡cut¡¡the¡¡cables£»
and¡¡two¡¡boats'¡crews¡¡to¡¡climb¡¡stealthily¡¡on¡¡board¡¡and¡¡overpower
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point¡¡in¡¡a¡¡case¡¡like¡¡this£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡speedily¡¡brought¡¡my¡¡numbers¡¡up
to¡¡the¡¡requisite¡¡efficiency¡£
The¡¡night¡¡was¡¡both¡¡moonless¡¡and¡¡star¡lessI¡¡had¡¡arranged¡¡all
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in¡¡excellent¡¡spirits£»¡¡and£»¡¡indeed£»¡¡as¡¡I¡¡stepped¡¡over¡¡the¡¡side£»¡¡a
lawless¡¡idea¡¡crossed¡¡my¡¡mind£»¡¡of¡¡discovering¡¡another¡¡Princess¡¡on
board¡¡the¡¡frigatea¡¡French¡¡one¡¡this¡¡time£»¡¡I¡¡had¡¡heard¡¡that¡¡that
sort¡¡was¡¡rather¡¡nice¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡I¡¡abandoned¡¡the¡¡notion¡¡at¡¡once£»
recollecting¡¡that¡¡the¡¡heroes¡¡of¡¡all¡¡history¡¡had¡¡always¡¡been¡¡noted
for¡¡their¡¡unswerving¡¡constancy¡£
The¡¡French¡¡captain¡¡was¡¡snug¡¡in¡¡bed¡¡when¡¡I¡¡clambered¡¡in¡¡through
his¡¡cabin¡¡window¡¡and¡¡held¡¡a¡¡naked¡¡cutlass¡¡to¡¡his¡¡throat¡£¡¡
Naturally¡¡he¡¡was¡¡surprised¡¡and¡¡considerably¡¡alarmed£»¡¡till¡¡I
discharged¡¡one¡¡of¡¡my¡¡set¡¡speeches¡¡at¡¡him£»¡¡pointing¡¡out¡¡that¡¡my
men¡¡already¡¡had¡¡his¡¡crew¡¡under¡¡hatchways£»¡¡that¡¡his¡¡vessel
was¡¡even¡¡then¡¡being¡¡towed¡¡out¡¡of¡¡harbour£»¡¡and¡¡that£»¡¡on¡¡his
accepting¡¡the¡¡situation¡¡with¡¡a¡¡good¡¡grace£»¡¡his¡¡person¡¡and¡¡private
property¡¡would¡¡be¡¡treated¡¡with¡¡all¡¡the¡¡respect¡¡due¡¡to¡¡the
representative¡¡of¡¡a¡¡great¡¡nation¡¡for¡¡which¡¡I¡¡entertained¡¡feelings
of¡¡the¡¡profoundest¡¡admiration¡¡and¡¡regard¡¡and¡¡all¡¡that¡¡sort¡¡of
thing¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡beautiful¡¡speech¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡Frenchman¡¡at¡¡once
presented¡¡me¡¡with¡¡his¡¡parole£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡usual¡¡way£»¡¡and£»¡¡in¡¡a¡¡reply
of¡¡some¡¡power¡¡and¡¡pathos£»¡¡only¡¡begged¡¡that¡¡I¡¡would¡¡retire¡¡a
moment¡¡while¡¡he¡¡put¡¡on¡¡his¡¡trousers¡£¡¡¡¡This¡¡I¡¡gracefully¡¡consented
to¡¡do£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡incident¡¡ended¡£
Two¡¡of¡¡my¡¡boats¡¡were¡¡sunk¡¡by¡¡the¡¡fire¡¡from¡¡the¡¡fo
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