ns to a lieutenant of the National
Guard for forty sous, and spent the rest of the day walking about the
town with his friend, Viard the bargeman, leaving him at nightfall to
begin his return journey. Turning down a narrow passage leading to the
river, between two high warehouses, he saw three men, and, as it turned
out, men whom he had met before, all enemies to the King's cause. One of
them, the Mayor, stopped him.

'Well, my man, where are you going?'

Garth turned his head aside.

'Where are you going?' repeated the Mayor.

'Down to the river, citizen. Came in last night on a barge to sell
pigeons.'

'On a barge, eh? Were you molested by the brigands?'

'No, citizen; I joined the barge some two miles up, and saw nothing of
brigands.'

The man standing to the left of the Mayor started as he heard the tone
of Garth's voice. He looked closely into Garth's face, suddenly pulled
off his hat, and with a quick cry, ''Tis the very man!' tried to seize
him. Quick as thought, Garth slipped aside, then, before the other two
had recovered from their surprise at their companion's strange action,
he rushed at the Mayor, threw him over backwards, turned and flung his
basket in the face of the other, then wheeled round and ran as fast as
the clumsy sabots would allow him, clattering down the passage towards
the river, the man behind him shouting, 'Help! a spy--a brigand--help!'
Two of his enemies dashed after him, and the Mayor picked himself up and
toddled off as fast as his short legs would carry him to call up the
nearest guard, two hundred yards away. The National Guard was soon
aroused, and the whole garrison was under arms. The dauntless Englishman
reached the river. He did not hesitate; pulling off his shoes and
flinging them at his pursuers, now only ten yards away, he plunged into
the river. A soldier with his gun arrived, pointed his musket at Garth's
head, and fired; Garth twisted over and dived, and the bullet hit the
water just behind him. Others of the guard came up, fired at his bobbing
head, but missed it. On he swam boldly, determinedly; and now the firing
has ceased, although he can hear the clamour. His courage and presence
of mind had saved him; he was now in a friendly country, and the first
man he met was wearing the King's cockade!

But here we must leave our hero, proud that he was an Englishman, and
that he afterwards distinguished himself by many deeds of valour,
passing unhurt through many dange