tante-gra'mere won't be moved."

"Put that limb of a Morrison girl out of the house," came an unexpected
mandate from amongst the screens.

"I would gladly put her out," said Captain Saucier anxiously. "Peggy, my
child, now that Mademoiselle Zhone is with Angelique, be persuaded to go
with madame and the children."

Peggy shook her head, laughing. A keen new delight in delay and danger
made her sparkle.

"Go yourself, Captain Saucier. One gentleman is enough to take care of
us."

"I think you ought to go, Captain Saucier," said Rice. "You will be
needed. The boat may be swamped by some of those large waves. I am
ashamed of leaving my stepmother behind; but she would not leave my
father, and Maria clung to me. We dared not fill the boat too full."

Angelique ran and kissed the children before her father put them into
the boat, and offered her cheeks to her mother. Madame Saucier was a fat
woman. She clung appalled to her husband, as he let her over the
slippery roof. Two slave men braced themselves and held the ropes which
steadied him, the whites of their eyes showing. Their mistress was
landed with a plunge, but steadied on her seat by Colonel Menard.

"Oh," she cried out, "I have left the house without saying adieu to
tante-gra'mere. My mind is distracted. She will as long as she lives
remember this discourtesy."

"It could be easily remedied, madame," suggested Colonel Menard,
panting as he braced his oar, "if she would step into the boat herself,
as we all wish her to do."

"Oh, monsieur the colonel, you are the best of men. If you had only had
the training of her instead of my poor gentle Francis, she might not be
so hard to manage now."

"We must not flatter ourselves, madame. But Mademoiselle Angelique must
not remain here much longer for anybody's whim."

"Do you think the water is rising?"

"It is certainly rising."

Madame Saucier uttered a shriek as a great swell rolled the boat. The
searching wind penetrated all her garments and blew back loose ends of
her hair. There was now a partially clear sky, and the moon sent forth a
little lustre as a hint of what she might do when she had entirely freed
herself from clouds.

The children were lowered, and after them their black nurse.

"There is room for at least one more!" called Pierre Menard.

Captain Saucier stood irresolute.

"Can you not trust me with these fragments of our families?" said Rice.

"Certainly, Monsieur Reece, certainly. It