ade me desire to
ride back.

I accordingly mounted my horse, leading Larry's. I left my faithful
retainer with instructions that in the event of the mob approaching, he
was to drive off with the ladies. I galloped on at full speed, anxious
without loss of time to reach the chateau. If La Touche had escaped, he
would probably require my assistance. I had no expectation of finding
he had beaten back the insurgents; indeed, I was not free from the
fearful apprehension that he and his people had been surprised by them,
and massacred before they could make good their retreat; still, as the
insurgents, when I left the chateau, appeared to have no intention of
making their way round to the back of the building, I hoped that he
would have contrived to escape in time. That they would have murdered
him if caught I had not the shadow of a doubt.

I had marked the road as I came along, and had no fear as to finding my
way. The moon, too, had risen, which enabled me to do this with less
difficulty. As I galloped on, I looked carefully about on either side,
for I knew that the clatter of my horses' hoofs would attract the
attention of any one coming along the road. But I met no one along the
whole length of my ride. At last I could distinguish the tall towers
with the flames bursting out from their summits, and I knew that the
chateau was doomed to destruction. Suddenly both horses started, and I
heard a voice say--

"Who goes there?"

It was La Touche. He was wounded badly, and unable to proceed farther.
Had I not gone to look for him, he would most probably have perished.

"The chateau will be burned to the ground," he observed. "But I care
not for that, now that I know, thanks to you, Finnahan, that my mother
and Sophie have escaped."

Having bound up his wounds, I assisted him to mount the spare horse, and
we set out for the inn where I had left Madame La Touche and her
daughter.

We met with many adventures and hair-breadth escapes before I ultimately
succeeded in escorting them on board the _Saucy Bet_, and seeing them
safely landed in England I shortly afterwards obtained my promotion.
And though I have much more to narrate which my readers may like to
hear, I was now lieutenant, and my adventures as a midshipman therefore
come to a conclusion at this period of my life.

THE END.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Paddy Finn, by W. H. G. Kingston

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