l the soldiers are gone, Bunny, and then get him down to the
coast and smuggle him aboard a fishing-boat and get the skipper to run
him across to Cherbourg or Saint Malo."

"Ho!" said Bunny, thoughtfully, and then, giving his thigh a slap, "They
wouldn't do it, sir. I mean the skipper wouldn't."

"Wouldn't do it?" cried Waller.

"Not him, sir. Why, he'd want five shillings at least before he'd
stir."

"Five shillings!" cried Waller contemptuously. "Why, Bunny, I'd give
him five pounds."

"You would, sir? Then hooroar!"

"What do you mean by your hooroar?" cried Waller.

"Why, hooroar, of course, I've got the chap as would do it."

"Where?" cried Waller.

"Why, I ar'n't got him in my pocket, lad, but there's my brother-in-law,
him and his two mates, who've got a lugger of their own. Down yonder by
Loo Creek, facing the Isle, you know. Five pounds! Why, they have to
go and lay out their nets a many times to get five pounds. They'd do
it--leastways, brother-in-law Jem would. Cherbourg, eh? Why, he's been
there lots of times."

"Splendid, Bunny?" cried Waller eagerly; and then, looking solemn at the
thought of parting from his new friend: "But could you trust him,
Bunny?"

"Trust him, sir?"

"Yes. I mean, he wouldn't betray the poor fellow, would he?"

Bunny stared at Waller for a moment, and then moistened both his hands,
gave them a rub together, and clenched them.

"He'd better!" he said. "Why, I'd--I'd--I'd--half smash him! Nay, I
wouldn't--I'd take his wife away. Sister Jen wouldn't stop along with a
sneak. But bah! Fisherman Jem! You might trust him anywhere. He'd
want stirring up to make him go, but me and the five pounds would make
that all right."

"Oh, I oughtn't to have doubted him, Bunny; he's your brother-in-law;
that's enough for me. Then, as soon as the soldiers are gone--I don't
want to, and I suppose I oughtn't to--but we will get him down to the
lugger and send him off home to come to his senses."

"Ah!" cried Bunny, "and you tell him, Master Waller, to stop there, for
it ar'n't honest to come here trying to steal the King's crown."

"No," said Waller, laughing; "of course not, Bunny. Now, look here, you
keep a sharp look-out without seeming to be watching the soldiers and
Tony Gusset, and if there's anything wrong you come and tell me."

"Right, Master Waller! That's so; and look here, sir. When we get him
down to the creek and take him aboard he'd better be dr