At ten o'clock they arrived at Cathelineau's camp. Just as they
reached the spot, they encountered Monsieur Sapinaud de la Verrie.
He was riding at the head of about a hundred peasants, all of whom
were armed with muskets. They had, early that morning, attacked the
little town of Herbiers. It was defended by two companies of
soldiers, with four or five cannon; and the Republicans of the town
had ranged themselves with the Blues. Nevertheless the peasants,
led by their commander and his nephew, had fearlessly attacked them
and, with a loss of only two or three wounded, defeated the enemy
and captured the place, obtaining a sufficient supply of muskets to
arm themselves.

As Jean Martin was known to Monsieur Sapinaud, they saluted each
other cordially.

"So you are coming willingly, Monsieur Martin. There you have the
advantage of me, for these good fellows made me and my nephew come
with them, as their leaders, and would take no refusal. However,
they but drew us into the matter a few days earlier than we had
intended; for we had already made up our minds to join the
movement."

"I come willingly enough, Monsieur Sapinaud. If I had remained in
Nantes, I should have been guillotined by this time; and I made up
my mind when I left there that I would, on the first opportunity,
do a little fighting before I was put an end to.

"This is my brother-in-law. He has been out here now nearly two
years, and has seen enough of the doings of the murderers at Nantes
to hate them as much as I do."

The streets of the little village, which Cathelineau had made his
headquarters, were thronged with men. Through these the four
mounted gentlemen made their way slowly until, when they came to
the church, they saw three men standing apart from the others.

"That is Cathelineau, the one standing in the middle," Leigh said.

"We have come to place ourselves under your orders," Monsieur
Sapinaud said, as they rode up to him; and he named himself and his
companions.

"I am glad indeed to see you, sirs," Cathelineau said. "You are the
first gentlemen who have joined us here; though I hear that,
farther south, some have already declared themselves. We want you
badly.

"One of you I have seen already," and he smiled at Leigh. "I told
you that you would hear of me, young sir; and you see I have kept
my word.

"These with me are Stofflet who, as you may have heard, recaptured
the cannon the Blues took at Clisson; and Foret, who had th