e numbered about a hundred and fifty horsemen, and
by ourselves could have made a spirited fight; but we were hampered by
the presence of our leaders' wives and children, and more than one man
shook his head doubtfully at the thought of meeting the king's troops. I
asked my comrade where we were going, and he replied that there were as
many different opinions as horsemen. "But for my part," said he, "I
believe our destination is La Rochelle. That has always been the
rallying-place."

"'Tis a long journey, and with the women and children a dangerous one!"
I remarked. "We can be ambushed at a thousand places on the road."

"Then," said he gaily, "there are a thousand chances of a fight. My dear
Edmond--we seem such good friends that I cannot call you Le Blanc--do
not look so gloomy. To us of the Admiral's house a brush with the enemy
is as natural as breaking one's fast. They know the Coligny battle-cry
by now, I assure you."

"I am not thinking of ourselves, but of the women and children."

"Ah," said he brightly, "that gives us a chance of gaining greater
glory."

The sun was always shining and the sky always blue for Felix Bellievre,
and if there were any clouds, he failed to see them. He and I rode in
the rear of the cavalcade, with the Sieur Andelot, Coligny's brother,
and a number of cavaliers belonging to his household. The weather,
fortunately, was dry, but the sun beat down fiercely, and at times we
were half-choked by the dust that rose from beneath our feet.

As Felix had foretold, we struck westward, travelling at a steady pace,
and seeing no sign of the king's troops till shortly before reaching the
Loire, near Sancerre. Then the few cavaliers forming the extreme rear
came riding hurriedly with the information that a large body of the
enemy was pushing on at a tremendous pace with the object of overtaking
us.

"The rear is the post of honour, gentlemen," said Andelot, with his
pleasant smile--he was, I think, even more kindly than his famous
brother--"but it is also the post of danger. We must keep these troops
at bay until our comrades succeed in discovering a ford," and we greeted
his words with a loyal cheer.

The situation was in truth an awkward one. Unless our scouts could find
some way of crossing the river we must either surrender or suffer
annihilation, and the word had gone forth that there must be no
yielding. "Faith, Edmond," exclaimed Felix merrily, "it seems you are to
have a good bapt