e would have
had me stay, for she was as wise as she was gentle, and she ever set other
people's wishes before her own. She had borne a man-child, and the
inevitable Island penalty of parting with him she bore without a murmur,
though the look on her face told its own tale at times.

"Change of pasture is good for young calves," was Jeanne Falla's
characteristic comment when they were discussing the matter one evening.
And when my mother, in a moment of weakness, urged the likelihood, if not
the absolute certainty, of my never returning alive, Aunt Jeanne's
trenchant retort, "Go where you can, die where you must," put an end to the
discussion and helped me to my wishes.

My grandfather procured me a berth as seaman on the barque _Hirondelle_ of
Peter Port, Nicolle master, and in her I made three voyages--to the West
Indies, then on to Gaspe in the St. Lawrence, and thence to the
Mediterranean. That was our usual round, and what with contrary winds, and
detentions in various ports, and the necessity of waiting and dodging the
enemy's cruisers and privateers, the voyages were long ones, and not
lacking in incident.

My story, however, is not concerned with them, except incidentally, and I
will refer to them as little as possible.

My grandfather went across with me to Peter Port the first time. He had
known George Nicolle many years, and felt me safe in his hands, and his
confidence was well placed. The _Hirondelle_ was a comfortable ship, and I
never heard a real word of complaint aboard of her. Growling and grumbling
there was occasionally, of course, or some of the older hands would never
have been happy, but it amounted to nothing, and there was no real ground
for it.

She was still only loading when we boarded her, and it was three days later
before we cast off and headed up Little Russel for the open sea.

CHAPTER X

HOW I BEARDED LIONS IN THEIR DENS

That first night in Peter Port, when my grandfather had wrung my hand for
the last time, looking at me with prayers in his eyes, and bidding me do my
duty and keep clean, and had put off for home in his boat, and work was
over for the day and I my own master, I decided on making a call which was
much in my heart, and to which I had been looking forward for days past.

I cleaned myself up, and made myself as smart as possible, and set off for
the Miss Maugers' school in George Road.

It was not until I saw the house that doubts began to trouble me as