"Good for you!" ejaculated the officer. "But come! You must go aboard the Marie Theresa. Captain Dreyfuss will indeed be glad to greet two such gallant Englishmen."
It was fully half an hour later, the lads in the meantime having seen to the disposition of the British sailors aboard the French cruiser, before Jack and Frank were seated in the commander's cabin, relating their experiences to him.
"And what do you plan to do now?" asked the commander, after he had complimented the boys upon their gallant conduct.
"Well," replied Frank, "we had thought of returning to London.
By the way, just whereabouts are we?"
The commander swept an arm in the direction of the little town.
"That," he said, "is St. Julien, on the southern coast of France. Bordeaux is to the north, and, in the event that you are planning to return to London, it will be necessary to go that way. If I were bound that way, I would gladly land you there, but I am not."
"May I ask which way you are going?" asked Frank.
"I am bound for the Adriatic," replied the commander, "to join the rest of the French fleet blockading the Austrians there."
"By Jove!" ejaculated Jack suddenly, struck with a sudden idea.
"Why cannot we go with you, Captain Dreyfuss."
"Go with me?" echoed the commander of the Marie Theresa.