y mother, I do not know. But he
certainly went about it with a grim earnestness which was not very far
removed from enjoyment.

He stripped the mizzen-mast of its sail, and Uncle George said no word
against it. If Krok had required the lugger itself as a coffin he would not
have said him nay.

He wrapped the body carefully in the sail, with great smooth stones from
the beach, and with some rope and his knife he sewed it all tightly
together, and pulled each knot home with a jerk that was meant to be final,
and his hairy old face was crumpled into a frown as he worked.

We ran swiftly up Great Russel under the strong west wind, until, by the
longer swing of the seas, we knew we were free of the rocks and islands
north of Herm.

Then Uncle George turned her nose to the wind, and under the slatting sail,
with bared heads, we committed to the seas the body of him who had wrought
such mischief upon them and in some of our lives.

"Dieu merci!" said Uncle George, as the long white figure slipped from our
hands and plunged down through the black waters. Then he clapped on his cap
and turned the helm, and the lugger went bounding back quicker than she had
come, for she and we were lightened of our loads.

We ran back round Brecqhou into Havre Gosselin, and climbed the ladders and
went to our homes.

Uncle George and my mother were married just a month after our little Phil
was born, and I learned again, from the look on my mother's face, that a
woman's age is counted not by years but by that which the years have
brought her.

They have been very happy. There is only one happier household on the
Island, and that is ours at Beaumanoir, for it is full of the sound of
children's voices, and the patter of little feet.

THE FORTY MEN OF SERCQ IN THE YEAR 1800

EAST SIDE

No. Name of House. Tenant.

1. Le Fort Thomas Hamon.
2. Le Grand Fort Jean Le Feuvre.
3. La Tour Amice Le Couteur (Senechal).
4. La Genetiere Philippe Guille.
5. La Rade Thomas Mauger.
6. La Ville Roussel Pierre Le Feuvre.
7. La Ville Roussel Abraham De Carteret.
8. La Ville Roussel Jean Vaudin.
9. La Ville Roussel Philippe Guille.
10. La Ville Roussel Jean Drillot.
11. Le Carrefour Elie Guille.
12. La Valette de Bas Elie Guille.
13. La Valette Robert De Carteret.
14. Vaux de Creux Pierre Le Pelley (Seigneur).
15. La Fripon