r
caps that hung there and put it on his head. It was large, with frills,
and almost covered his face. He had but just time to reseat himself by the
fire and cower over it, as if warming his hands, when the door opened and
a French officer entered. At the sight of the two apparently old women
bending over the fire, and the girl sitting knitting, he stopped.

"Madam," he said courteously, "it is my duty to search your house. It is
believed that a spy who landed here last night may be returning to-night."

"You can look," the old woman said in her quavering voice, "as much as you
like; you will not find any spy here."

As the cottage consisted of only two rooms the search was quickly
effected.

"Thank you, madam!" the French officer said; "I am quite satisfied, and am
sorry I have incommoded you."

"That is a civil fellow," Will said, as the sound of the retreating hoofs
was heard. "Some of these fellows would have blustered and sworn and
turned the whole place upside down. Well, madam, I am deeply obliged to
you for the shelter you have given me and the risk you have run for my
sake. Here is a guinea; it is all the gold I have with me, but it may buy
some little comfort for you."

"It will buy me enough turf to last me all the winter," the old woman
said. "My son is a fisherman who is sometimes weeks from home, and our
supply of turf is running low. Thank you very much! though I would gladly
have done it without reward, for we all hate the French."

Will went out cautiously and made his way down to the shore, listening at
every step for some sound that would tell of the presence of a sentry. He
lay down near the edge of the sea and watched. At last he saw a dim shape
lying stationary a hundred yards out. He gave a low whistle, but this was
almost instantaneously followed by the report of a musket within fifty
yards of him. He did not hesitate, but with a shout to the boat ran into
the water and struck out towards it. Another musket was fired, fifty yards
to the left, and the signal was, as before, repeated by sentry after
sentry till the sound died away in the distance. Almost immediately the
galloping of horses could be heard. The boat rowed in to meet him, and as
he scrambled on board a volley of carbines rang out from the shore. The
sailors bent to their oars and, although the firing continued for some
time, they knew that the enemy had lost sight of them. A quarter of an
hour later the sound of oars was heard.