to say the word and that, whatever it is, I
would do it, even if I were cut to pieces the minute afterwards."

"Thank you, old friend. It was because I knew that you were trusty
and true that I came here. Now, the first thing that we want is
fishermen's clothes. We only disguised ourselves in those things in
order to pass safely through the Blues, and be able to cross the
ferry. For the present they have done their work, and now we want a
disguise that we can go about in, unnoticed. Of course, we don't
want new things."

"I can get them easily enough, monsieur. My customers are all hard
up. I know pretty well which are true men, and which are not."

"In the next place, I should like to buy or hire a boat to be at my
disposal, as long as I stay here."

"There are boats and to spare, captain. Fishing goes on because men
must live; though it can hardly be called living, for the prices of
everything are fixed by law, now, and are fixed so low that the men
can scarce earn enough to buy bread for themselves, and their
families. Still, there are boats in plenty. Men have come down from
towns and villages higher up, for they say that the troops are
under no control and, when the boats come in after a night's
fishing, they come down and help themselves and, if a man ventures
to grumble, he gets a musket ball to pay him for his fish. The men
here, at first, were against their fishing between this place and
the sea; but the authorities stepped in, and said that the more
food, the better for the people; and as the price was fixed, the
men here saw that it made no difference to them. Still, like our
own men, they are doing badly enough, and one could buy a boat for
a mere song."

"It would be better to buy one from those men, Brenon, because the
fact of our being strangers would not then be noticed. I want one
rowing boat, as fast a craft as you can pick out.

"I also want to hire a boat with a cabin that will hold us both. Of
course it will be a sailing boat, say of three or four tons burden.
I intend that we shall live on board. It might be noticed if two
strange sailors were often coming in and out of your place;
whereas, if we were in a boat moored against the bank, no one would
notice us. If you can get hold of such a boat, with a couple of men
who seem to you to be honest fellows, strangers to the place, it
will be a great thing; and we could occasionally go down the river,
and do a little fishing."

"All that can be