."

The man spoke in the patois of the island, a kind of old Norman
French which the young man understood very well. He, therefore,
answered in the same language.

"Shall I go and call your people?" Frank said after a while.

"No, thank you, I think I can walk home."

He stood up and they both proceeded towards the farm-house.

"Not a word of thanks," soliloquized Frank, as he surveyed the
strong frame and the powerful limbs of his companion.

Just then the farmer turned abruptly to him: "A good thing you were
passing near at the time of the accident. I might have been
drowned," he said.

"I am very glad of having been of service to you," answered Frank.

"You're a good fellow," resumed the farmer looking at him and
nodding. "It's not everybody," he continued, "who would have had the
sense to do as you have done."

They arrived at the farm-house, a two-storeyed house, without any
pretence at architecture, and with a slate covering: the house was
surrounded by stables, pig-sties, a small garden and a conservatory.
In front of the house was a parterre, most tastefully arranged with
flowers which surrounded an immense fuschia, five feet in height and
covering an area of about fifty square feet.

The two men entered by the front door. Mr. Rougeant led his rescuer
into the kitchen. Here was Jeanne, a French servant, occupied in
poking the fire.

"Ah, but dear me," she exclaimed as she caught sight of the pair,
"what has Mr. Rougeant been doing now?"

"I fell in the quarry," said the farmer gruffly, "go and prepare
some dry clothing, be quick, make haste."

Jeanne immediately did as she was bid. She did not leave the room,
however, without casting an inquisitive glance at Frank.

"Adele," shouted Mr. Rougeant in a voice of thunder, "where are
you?"

"Miss Rougeant is gone, she told me she would not be long," answered
the servant from upstairs.

"Oh, yes, always gone," said the father of Adele, in none too
pleasant a tone; "those young girls are always out when most
wanted."

Then he began to talk about his quarry. "Only a year ago that quarry
was being worked. There were twenty men employed in it. It paid well
then. But it's all over now. The man who worked it found a little
bit of rubbish in his way, and, like a fool, he got frightened and
left working it, and now you see it's full of water. Are the clothes
ready?" This was said, or rather shouted to the servant.

"Yes, Sir, they're ready; I'm coming