"Good-night," I shouted back, stretching out at the oars once more, and
rowing laboriously up the harbour against a slight ebb-tide.

I had no difficulty in finding the landing-place. It was a sort of
slipway leading down from the top of the quay to the water's edge; and
some ten or a dozen other fishing-boats were either hauled up there, or
moored alongside. There was not a soul to be seen about the place when
I ranged up alongside the green and slimy piles of which the slipway was
constructed; I was consequently able to moor the boat at leisure, and in
such a way that if I wanted her again in a hurry, I should have no
difficulty in quickly casting her adrift.

I then gathered up the fish and placed them in a basket which was stowed
away in the eyes of the boat; and throwing the rope strap over my
shoulders, trudged with my load up the slipway until I stood upon the
top of the quay.

I had been very minute in my inquiries as to how I was to proceed on
landing, so as to be able to go direct to the abode of Dame Leferrier;
and the fisherman Jean had been equally minute and careful in directing
me; I had only to stand a few seconds, therefore, as though taking
breath after the steep ascent, and look carefully about, to recognise
the landmarks which he had given me to determine the direction I ought
to take.

A low and villainous-looking waterside tavern stood at the corner of a
street at no great distance, dimly visible in the light of a grimy
lantern which swung over the door; and making for this, and keeping it
on my right, I found myself in a narrow, wretchedly-paved street; up
which I passed for about a couple of hundred yards, when I found myself
opposite a rickety little hovel, having a light burning in its window.
I was directed to look for such a light in the house to which I was
bound; and as this appeared to be the only place in the street so
distinguished, I walked boldly up to the door, raised the wooden latch,
and entered.

I found myself in a small, low-ceiled room, stone-paved; with a heavy
wooden table in the centre, having a rough wooden bench on each side; a
couple of three-legged stools against the wall; a pair of clumsy oars
and a boat-hook in one corner; a boat's mast and sails in another; a
fireplace, with a few smouldering logs, over which was suspended an iron
pot, occupied nearly the whole of one side of the room; and, by the side
of the hearth, with her back toward me, sat an old dame, le