Malo this morning with four great ships,
and so Monsieur Duguay-Trouin could not carry his prize there, and
indeed had to make all sail to escape."

Here was news indeed! It revived my drooping spirits; surely there
must be a providence in the proximity of Benbow. But I devoutly
hoped I should not encounter Duguay-Trouin. It was scarcely
probable that he would recognize me in my new attire, having paid
scant attention to me when I was among the prisoners on his deck,
but I trembled to think of the risk we all ran.

"Here is the mairie," said my guide, stopping at a house above
which a flag was flying.

I thanked him, and whispering Punchard to keep an eye on the
Frenchmen, and especially on the wagoner, I stepped boldly in and
confronted the maire, a little man with a cocked hat over his gray
wig.

"Good evening, monsieur," I said pleasantly.

The maire rose from his seat and returned my greeting.

"I am taking some deserters to Cherbourg, monsieur," I continued,
"and I must beg of you to provide me tomorrow with a smack to
convey them thither."

For the moment I said nothing about the prisoners.

"A smack, monsieur!" said the maire. "But it is foolish. Does not
monsieur know that four English warships are in the neighborhood?
Monsieur would run great risk of being captured. I would recommend
that monsieur march to Cherbourg; he would then go quite safely."

"That is perfectly true, monsieur," I said pleasantly', "but it is
a long and wearisome road; my men are already greatly fatigued by
their march from Rennes. The passage by sea would be much easier
and more comfortable, and moreover cheaper, and it is the duty of
all good Frenchmen to save his majesty expense."

I could see that the maire was nettled. His reluctance to accede to
my demand was due, not so much to his fears for our safety--for
Benbow had higher game to fly at than a fishing vessel--as to his
indisposition to provision us for the voyage. Maybe he had had some
experience of the same sort before, and knew that, whatever
receipts might be given him for commodities supplied, he had little
chance of being reimbursed for such services rendered to King
Lewis. No doubt it was some recent soreness that prompted his reply
to my remark about all good Frenchmen.

"To judge by his accent," he said, with a hint of a sneer,
"monsieur is not a Frenchman himself."

At this I affected to be mightily huffed. Laying my hand on my
sword, and knitting my b