will soon pick it up, now he is among you all."

It was a happy party, indeed, that evening at Netherstock, where
Mr. Stansfield had insisted that Monsieur and Madame Flambard
should stay, till they could find a lodging to suit them in Poole.
Madame Martin and her daughter, Louise, arrived a few minutes after
the others had reached the house; as Jean had sent off a boy to
tell them, as soon as he made out the lugger; and a little later
Patsey's sister, Polly, came over from Poole.

At first, innumerable questions were asked on each side; and then
Leigh related all that had happened, since they left Le Mans.
Monsieur Flambard interrupted, when it came to the point where
Leigh had rescued him and his wife, and gave full particulars of it
to Jean, who translated it to the others. Then it came to Jean's
turn.

"I was with Rochejaquelein," he said. "We had made our last charge
down on the head of the enemy's column. It was hot work. Desailles
was shot through the head, close by my side and, as we rode off, I
felt my horse stumble, and knew that it was hit. Almost at the same
moment my sword fell from my hand, my right arm being broken by a
musket ball.

"La Rochejaquelein had given orders that this charge was to be the
last. He knew that, by this time, the main part of the army would
have left the town. My horse lagged behind the others, and I was
just turning it to ride to our meeting place, when it fell under
me.

"I decided at once not to attempt to come to the rendezvous. In the
first place, I felt sure that you had already followed out my
instructions; and in the next place, had I joined you, I should
have ruined your chance of escape. Being dismounted, I should have
hampered your flight and, even had we escaped pursuit, your having
a man with a broken arm with you would, everywhere, have roused
suspicion. I therefore determined to go as far as I could, and then
hide in a wood and shift for myself.

"I got a peasant, who was running past me, to stop for a moment and
bind my arm tightly with my sash. It was broken high up. I walked,
for two or three hours, in the direction opposite to that in which
the army had retreated. The peasant who had bound my arm up
accompanied me. I found that he came from a farm near us. He had
recognized me at once, but I had not noticed who it was. I told him
to try and save himself, but he would not hear of it.

"'Monsieur will require my aid," he said, 'and it is my duty to
rende