, and a most valuable officer. I sent
messengers forward to tell him of my approach with reinforcements; and I
gave a prodigious report of you."

"Still I shall speak for myself, Jean."

"What I now have to ask of you is, that you will dress like an officer--
like me. The uniform is, on the whole, of no great consequence at this
season, when the whites wear all the linen, and as little cloth as they
can. But the hat. Toussaint--the hat! You will not show yourself to
the Marquis d'Hermona in a cap! For my sake, do not show yourself till
you have procured a cocked hat."

"Where did you get yours, Jean?"

Jean could only say that it was from one who would never want it again.

"We will go as we are," said Toussaint. "You look like a commander, as
you are--and I look what I am, Toussaint Breda."

"But he will not believe what I shall say of you, if he sees a mere
common negro."

"Then let him disbelieve, till I have shown what I am. We shall find
daylight on the other side this ridge."

They had been for some time ascending the ridge which lies north and
south between Fort Dauphin and the river Massacre, the Spanish boundary.
In the covert of the woods which clothed the slope all was yet
darkness; but when the travellers could catch a glimpse upwards through
the interwoven branches, they saw that the stars were growing pale, and
that the heavens were filling with a yellower light. On emerging from
the woods on the summit of the ridge, they found that morning was indeed
come, though the sun was not yet visible. There was a halt, as if the
troops now facing the east would wait for his appearance. To the left,
where the ridge sank down into the sea, lay Mancenillo Bay, whose dark
grey waters, smooth as glass, as they rolled in upon the shore, began to
show lines of light along their swell. A dim sail or two, small and
motionless, told that the fishermen were abroad. From this bay, the
river Massacre led the eye along the plain which lay under the feet of
the troops, and between this ridge and another, darkly wooded, which
bounded the valley to the east; while to the south-east, the view was
closed in by the mass of peaks of the Cibao group of mountains. At the
first moment, these peaks, rising eight thousand feet from the plain,
appeared hard, cold, and grey, between the white clouds that encumbered
their middle height and the kindling sky. But from moment to moment
their aspect softened. The grey melt