ill see us as soon as
we see them." Then, turning to the man who seemed to be in charge of
the provisions, Cadoudal added, "Brise-Bleu, is there anything for
breakfast?"

Brise-Bleu nodded affirmatively, went into the wood, and came out
dragging after him a donkey loaded with two baskets. He spread a cloak
on a rise of the ground, and placed on it a roast chicken, a bit of
cold salt pork, some bread and buckwheat cakes. This time Brise-Bleu had
provided luxury in the shape of a bottle of wine and a glass.

Cadoudal motioned Roland to the table and the improvised repast. The
young man sprang from his horse, throwing the bridle to a Chouan.
Cadoudal did likewise.

"Now," said the latter, turning to his men, "you have half an hour to
do as we do. Those who have not breakfasted in half an hour are notified
that they must fight on empty stomachs."

The invitation seemed equivalent to an order, so promptly and precisely
was it executed. Every man pulled from his bag or his pocket a bit of
bread or a buckwheat cake, and followed the example of his general, who
had already divided the chicken between Roland and himself. As there was
but one glass, both officers shared it.

While they were thus breakfasting, side by side, like two friends on a
hunt, the sun rose, and, as Cadoudal had predicted, the mist became less
and less dense. Soon the nearest trees could be distinguished; then the
line of the woods, stretching to the right from Meucon to Grand-champ,
while to the left the plain of Plescop, threaded by a rivulet, sloped
gradually toward Vannes. This natural declivity of the ground became
more and more perceptible as it neared the ocean.

On the road from Grandchamp to Plescop, a line of wagons were now
visible, the tail of which was still hidden in the woods. This line was
motionless; evidently some unforeseen obstacle had stopped it.

In fact, about a quarter of a mile before the leading wagon
they perceived the two hundred Chouans, under Monte-a-l'assaut,
Chante-en-hiver, Fend-l'air, and Giberne, barring the way.

The Republicans, inferior in number--we said that there were but a
hundred--had halted and were awaiting the complete dispersion of the
fog to determine the number and character of the men they were about to
meet. Men and wagons were now in a triangle, of which Cadoudal and his
hundred men formed one of the angles.

At sight of this small number of men thus surrounded by triple forces,
and of the well-