to be found. In this la Rochejaquelein,
with a few of his officers, had crossed the river to bring back some
boats that were moored on the opposite bank. Directly they got
across they were attacked, but la Rochejaquelein, with two or three
others, effected their escape.

After this the Vendeans no longer kept together. The women and
children, wounded and invalids, hid themselves in the woods; where
they were hunted down like wild beasts, and either slaughtered at
once or sent to Nantes, where thousands were either executed or
drowned by the infamous Carrier, one of the most sanguinary
villains produced by the Revolution. Many of the men managed to
cross the river either by swimming on rough rafts or in boats. In
La Vendee the war was still going on, for Charette had marched up
again from Lower Poitou, and was keeping a large force of the
Republican troops engaged.

"I will try not to hope too much," Patsey said. "But at any rate, I
am for going down to Bordeaux for, apart from the chance of finding
Jean there, it seems much safer than putting out to sea in a little
boat."

"I certainly think so," Leigh replied. "Now I will go out and make
inquiries as to what craft there may be, bound south."

He returned in a couple of hours.

"I have arranged for our passage, Patsey. She is a fast-looking
little craft, with very decent accommodation. She is in the wine
trade, and brought a cargo safely up last week, and will start
again the day after tomorrow. She carries a crew of eight hands;
and I have made inquiries about the captain, and hear a very good
report of him, and he seemed to me a first-rate fellow. When I
mentioned the name of the Henriette he said that he knew her well,
and was acquainted both with the present captain and with your
Jean. He had heard, from Lefaux, that her former owner had been
denounced, and had been obliged to fly from Nantes to a chateau
that he had in La Vendee. The Henriette has never been into Nantes
since, but went down to Bordeaux, and was there registered in
another owner's name, and Lefaux had worked for him ever since.

"'I fancy,' he said, 'she sometimes makes a run with brandy to
England. She was in that business before, and had, Lefaux said,
been chased many a time by English cutters, but had always managed
to give them the slip.'

"I was half inclined to tell him that I was Jean's brother-in-law,
but I thought it better not to until we had been to sea for a day
or two, and h