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CHAPTER XXII.

M. OUDIN ARRIVES--THE WEDDING DAY--DIVISION OF THE SPOIL--ALEC
RETURNS TO JETHOU--WEDDING GIFTS--THE END.

Delays being dangerous, it was quickly decided that our wedding should
take place on October 15th, my father's birthday. Among the invitations
sent out was one to M. Oudin, of Paris, asking him to come and spend a
fortnight with us, so that he could kill two birds with one stone, viz.,
be present at the wedding, and take with him the treasure we had found
on his island.

On Michaelmas Day we received an acceptance of the invitation, and on
Old Michaelmas Day, which is a time of some note in Norfolk, our visitor
arrived.

M. Oudin was greatly pleased with our fresh-water Broads, and as he was
fond of angling and shooting he was very interested and happy. We showed
him the treasure, of which he made notes in his pocket book, but further
he appeared to take little notice of the matter. From his arrival until
the wedding day was a period of excitement, and everyone about the place
seemed to regard it as a festival; and truly such it was, for every day
fun of some kind was afoot, especially in the evening, for then King
Misrule held his sway.

M. Oudin spent most of his daylight on the Broad or the adjoining river
with Alec, in a small sailing skiff. These two, with rods, gun, and dog
("Begum"), used to bring in quite a good supply of fish and water-fowl,
which they captured in the quiet spots a little from the house.

At length the wedding day arrived, and a bright happy day it proved, and
everything went "as happy as the wedding bells," and _they_ rang merry
peals till quite midnight.

Our whole village only contains about three hundred and fifty persons,
so everyone who wished came to a meal spread upon long tables on the
lawn, and from noon till midnight, dancing, singing, boating, etc., were
in full swing. At ten p.m. a huge bonfire was lighted, which had not
died out when our people arose the next day.

Before going to the church, M. Oudin requested an audience of Priscilla,
father, mother, Alec, and myself, and a red-letter day it turned out to
be for us. Briefly, M. Oudin's harangue was this:

"My dear friend Harry, but for your discovery of the articles here
before us (the treasure), both by good luck and your great ingenuity, I
should not now find myself the possessor of what must certainly be of
considerable value. Now, if you have any special wish as to which o