oats were mainly
constructed for the carriage of merchandise, the conveyance of
passengers formed an important part of the profits. At present,
however, there was but little travelling, and Patsey had the
women's cabin to herself; while one other male messenger, with the
master and two hands, had the forward compartments to themselves.

The master explained that, at ordinary times, his two men occupied
a tiny place boarded off from the hold, or in summer slept on deck;
but that, as there were so few passengers, they lived with the rest
"for," as he growled under his breath, "the present."

The voyage was slow but not unpleasant. There was scarce wind
enough to fill the two sails carried by the boat, but the captain
and his two hands frequently got out sweeps, to keep the boat in
the middle of the current. They stopped for a day at Rouen, while
the cargo destined for that town was landed. Patsey and Leigh were
glad to spend the day in the town, visiting the cathedral, taking
their meals at a restaurant, for the cuisine on board the boat was
not of the highest character.

"We used to keep a regular cook," the captain lamented. "In those
days we often carried several passengers; but at present, when we
seldom have more than one or two, we cannot afford it. The
Revolution is no doubt a grand thing, and has greatly benefited the
nation, but it has weighed hardly on us. There are but half the
boats on the river there used to be, and they are hardly paying
expenses, now that no one travels. Those that go to sea are worse
off still for, what with the falling off in trade, and with the
English cruisers all along the coast, there is little employment
for seamen, save in the privateers. However, they don't starve; for
the greater portion of the men on the coast have to go in the ships
of the Republic."

On the sixth day after leaving Paris, they arrived at Havre. Here
they had no difficulty in obtaining lodgings, in a small auberge
near the port. Their pass was, on their arrival, sent to the
authorities of the town and duly stamped. Leigh's first inquiries
were for the Henriette. He found that she was well known in the
port, and had sailed for La Rochelle, six weeks before.

"She does not very often come up here," one of the sailors said.
"Sometimes she is months between her visits. As likely as not, she
may have been captured on her way down. Her port is Bordeaux and,
if you wanted to find her, you had much better have gon