h officer started back with astonishment, not unmixed with
anger. "How have I insulted you? How dare you address me in that
style?" he asked.

"When one man asks another to do a dirty action, he insults him, and
that's what you've asked us to do, Mounseer," exclaimed O'Grady,
indignantly. "And just let me observe, that it is possible we may have
had wits enough in our own heads to concoct the story we told you
without being indebted to any man, woman, or child for it, especially
when we were stimulated with the desire of getting out of this
outlandish country, and being at you again; and as to the clothes, small
blame to the people who sold them when they got honest gold coins in
exchange."

"That story will not go down with me, young gentleman," observed the
officer with a sneer. "However, enough of this trifling; we shall see
in a few days whether you will alter your mind. Monsieur," he
continued, turning to an elderly gentleman standing at the side of the
hall, "we must have these persons locked up in one of your rooms. I beg
that you will send your steward to point out a chamber from whence they
cannot escape, and give us the trouble of again catching them."

"Monsieur," said the old gentleman, drawing himself up with an indignant
air, "all the rooms are occupied; my chateau is not a prison, and I have
no intention of allowing it to become one."

"Ho! ho!" cried the officer, pulling his moustache, and stamping with
rage, "is that the line you have taken up? I was ordered to respect
your chateau, and so I must; but take care, citoyen... However,
sergeant, take them to the old tower; there is a room at the top of that
where they will be safe enough. The wind and rain beat in a little, to
be sure, but for any inconvenience they may suffer, they will be
indebted to my friend here. Off with them!"

With scant ceremony the sergeant dragged them through the hall, Reuben
stumping along after them on his wooden leg. They soon reached the
tower, which was close to the little harbour. It was a very old
building of three low stories, surrounded by sand, and the stones
outside were so rough and so frequently displaced, that even by the
light of the now risen moon it seemed as if there could not be much
difficulty in climbing up to the top from the outside, or descend by the
same means.

The sergeant shoved them on before him up a winding stair, which creaked
and groaned at every step.

"En avant, en avant!"