iments of troops in the town, and these could
be brought up before the fishermen could force the strong defences
of the jail. However, as a last resource, this might be attempted.

Two days later Adolphe again returned, and was obliged to confess
in answer to Harry's inquiries that he feared the sailors as a body
would not join in the attempt.

"I can hardly blame them, monsieur. For though I myself would risk
everything, and some of the others would do so too, it is a terrible
thing for men with wives and families to brave the anger of these
monsters. They would think nothing of putting us all to death.
It isn't the fighting we are afraid of, though the odds are heavy
against us, but it's the vengeance they would take afterwards,
whether we happened to win or whether we didn't."

"I cannot blame them," Harry said. "As you say, even if they succeeded
there would be a terrible vengeance for it afterwards. No; if the
girls are to be rescued it must be by some other way. I have been
quiet so long because I hoped that the intercession of the women
would have saved them. As that has failed I must set to work. I
have thought of every method, but bribery seems the only chance.
Will you speak to the man you know in the prison, and sound him
whether it will be possible to carry out any plan in that way?"

"I will speak again to him," Adolphe said. "But I have already
sounded him, and he said that there were so many guards and jailers
that he feared that it would be impossible. But I will try again."

The next day, soon after dinner, Adolphe came again, and there was
a white scared look upon his face which filled Harry with alarm.

"What is it, Adolphe? What is your news?"

"Monsieur, I can hardly tell it," Adolphe said in a low awe-stricken
voice. "It is too awful even for these fiends."

"What is it, Adolphe? Tell me. If they have been murdered I will
go straight to Nantes and kill Carrier the first time he leaves
his house, though they may tear me to pieces afterwards."

"They are not murdered yet," Adolphe said; "but they are to be, and
everyone else." And this time the sailor sat down and cried like
a child.

At last, in answer to Harry's entreaties, he raised his head and
told the story. The Revolutionary Committee had that day been down
at the wharf, and had taken for the public service four old luggers
past service which were lying on the mud, and they had openly
boasted that an end was going to put to the