CHAPTER XXIII.
"He saw with his own eyes the moon was round, Was also certain that the earth was square, Because he'd journeyed fifty miles, and found No sign that it was circular anywhere." _Don Juan_.
Raoul Yvard was indebted to a piece of forethought in Clinch for his life.

But for the three guns fired so opportunely from the Foudroyant, the execution could not have been stayed; and but for a prudent care on the part of the master's-mate, the guns would never have been fired.

The explanation is this: when Cuffe was giving his subordinate instructions how to proceed, the possibility of detention struck the latter, and he bethought him of some expedient by which such an evil might be remedied.
At his suggestion then, the signal of the guns was mentioned by the captain, in his letter to the commander-in-chief, and its importance pointed out.

When Clinch reached the fleet, Nelson was at Castel a Mare, and it became necessary to follow him to that place by land.

Here Clinch found him in the palace of Qui-Si-Sane, in attendance on the court, and delivered his despatches.