l you."

In the mean while, little by little, merriment grew in the group of the
Mahes and the group of the Floches. The latter, particularly, laughed
very loud because they had mixed the liquors, a thing that excited them
the more. For the rest, the one and the other of the groups kept
apart. They did not offer each other of their casks, they simply cast
sympathetic glances, seized with the unavowed desire to taste their
neighbor's liquor, which might possibly be better. The inimical
brothers, Tupain and Fouasse, were in close proximity all the evening
without showing their fists. It was remarked, also, that Rouget and
his wife drank from the same glass. As for Margot, she distributed the
liquor among the Floches, and as she filled the glasses too full, and
the liquor ran over her fingers, she kept sucking them continually,
so well that, though obeying her father who forbade her to drink, she
became as fuddled as a girl in vintage time. It was not unbecoming to
her; on the contrary, she got rosy all over, her eyes were like candles.

The sun set, the evening was like the softness of springtime. Coqueville
had finished the casks and did not dream of going home to dine. They
found themselves too comfortable on the beach. When it was pitch
night, Margot, sitting apart, felt some one blowing on her neck. It was
Del-phin, very gay, walking on all fours, prowling behind her like a
wolf. She repressed a cry so as not to awaken her father, who would have
sent Delphin a kick in the back.

"Go away, imbecile!" she murmured, half angry, half laughing; "you will
get yourself caught!"

IV

The following day Coqueville, in rising, found the sun already high
above the horizon. The air was softer still, a drowsy sea under a clear
sky, one of those times of laziness when it is so good to do nothing. It
was a Wednesday. Until breakfast time, Coqueville rested from the fete
of the previous evening. Then they went down to the beach to see.

That Wednesday the fish, the Widow Dufeu, M. Mouchel, all were
forgotten. La Queue and Rouget did not even speak of visiting their
jam-bins. Toward three o'clock they sighted some casks. Four of them
were dancing before the village. The "Zephir" and the "Baleine" went in
chase; but as there was enough for all, they disputed no longer. Each
boat had its share. At six o'clock, after having swept all over the
little gulf, Rouget and La Queue came in, each with three casks. And
the fete began