rows to a frown, I replied:

"His majesty has honored me with a commission. No doubt if Monsieur
le Maire has any serious objections--"

"Pardon, Monsieur le Capitaine," the maire hastened to say, alarmed
at my tone. "I was only concerned for monsieur's safety. Certainly
he shall have a smack, equipped as befits the servants of his
majesty."

"That is well spoken, monsieur," I said. "Is it true, may I ask,
that Monsieur Duguay-Trouin is in your town?"

"Not at this moment, monsieur."

I thrilled with relief at this.

"He has gone half a league eastward to the chateau of Monsieur le
duc de Portorson, having already sent a message to St. Malo to
acquaint the admiral that he was forced to put in here by the
appearance of the English warships."

"And did he not fear that in his absence the English might swoop
down upon his vessel and the prizes he has captured?" I asked.

"They are hidden behind the point, monsieur. Besides, the highest
part of our town commands a view of forty miles of sea, and we have
placed a man there who will fire a musket if a strange sail
appears."

"Then I hope that we shall after all make our voyage to Cherbourg
in safety," I said with an air of satisfaction. "And now, will
monsieur be good enough to select the smack?"

Before he could answer, a man who had just cantered up on horseback
entered and said:

"Monsieur le Maire, Monsieur Duguay-Trouin is supping with Monsieur
le Duc. Will monsieur kindly acquaint the lieutenant in charge of
the brig at the jetty, and say that Monsieur Duguay-Trouin will
return before dark?"

"Can not you take the message yourself?" said the maire, whose
temper I fear, had been ruffled by his interview with me.

The man explained that he had been bidden to ride on without delay
to St. Malo; Monsieur Duguay-Trouin, he believed, was concerting a
plan to entrap the English vessels, and it was of particular
importance that the letter he bore should reach the admiral early.
The maire then agreed to have the message conveyed to the
lieutenant on the brig, and the horseman took his leave.

During their short conversation, which I only partly heard, my
brain was whirling with a wild dance of notions the messenger's
tidings had suggested. When he had gone, I turned to the maire.

"Monsieur," I said. "I think there is much soundness in the advice
you gave me just now. It will probably be safer for us to go to
Cherbourg by land. In that case, however, I must r