He glanced from one boy to the other: but both looked too pale
to stand in the damps through an April night. He repeated that he would
take no second: but while he said so, there were images in his mind of
fine or compensation, bringing increased hardships on the morrow. At
this moment a voice from the darkness without called his name, and said
he need not look any further for a comrade.

All the family knew that this was Charles's voice; but even the little
boys had learned so much caution from hardship, that they did not speak,
but only looked at each other. Jerome observed that it told well for
his host that he had a neighbour ready, without asking, to help him in
so irksome a service.

The soldiers contrived to make room for the boys to sleep, thinking it
quite enough that the law obliged Randolphe to flog the ponds, and his
wife and daughter to toil in the shed all night, without the addition of
the two half-fed lads having to lie down on the clay floor, or not at
all. So each boy had a share of the crib, and a corner of the rug.

VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER THREE.

A HOLIDAY MORNING.

The boys were wakened in the morning by a rap on the door, like that of
the preceding evening. When they had rubbed their eyes and got up, they
found that their mother was speaking with no less a person than the
bailiff from the chateau. It took little time to slip on the only day
garment each had: and then, as their mother stood in the doorway, one
looked out under each of her arms, to see what was going on.

"Ah! You little fellows," said the bailiff, "I have some business with
you. What have you to do with pigeons, when you know 'tis against the
law for you to keep them? Come, no excuses; I saw a brood of pigeons on
the ridge of the roof, as I came."

"How are we to help the Count's pigeons lighting on our ridge, if they
choose, please sir!" said Marc.

"Nay, Marc, no tricks!" said his mother. "The pigeons are theirs, sir;
got from the wood, and a present for their sister: but you see, sir, how
trickery and falsehood come. If there were no reasons why my boys
should not do such an innocent thing as bring up a brood of pigeons, the
thought of an untruth would not enter their heads; but you see what you
tempt them to, by driving them so very hard about almost the only
pleasure they have."

"It is not I, good woman," said the bailiff. "Do not say I drive them
hard--I did not make the laws; but it is my business to