t good food and rest will set them
right again in a week. Ah, madame," he cried, with a sparkle of
his old air, "but he has tickled them rarely! Bedame! his name will
not smell sweet in their nostrils for many a long day!"

"Then tell us your news, Gabriel; anything else is easily borne."

"'Un fou fait toujours commencement,' madame, and I know not how
to begin. But the English began with M. de Sarennes, and they found
him so little to their taste that they have ended by burning the
manor at Beaulieu level with the ground, and not a barn nor
out-building is left on the domaine."

"If their sons could give such cause for reprisal, there is not a
woman in Canada who would not be proud to suffer a like revenge,"
responded the old lady, with unfaltering voice.

"Do not fear, madame, our day will come; and when it comes we will
all have our scores to wipe out. I know that I have mine!"

"Surely they have not stooped to burn your cottage?"

"No; it is safe; and so is my Amelia. My quarrel is on my own
account. They tricked me on board their fleet by flying our colours,
and carried me here."

"Do not dare to stand here and tell me that you piloted them!"
cried the old lady, with the utmost scorn.

"No, madame, I did not."

"Then you may go on," she said, sternly.

"I did not; but it makes little difference, madame."

"It makes every difference whether we are traitors or not! Go on."

"Well, madame, when I found I was trapped I made all the stir I
could. I blustered and swore, and, Heaven forgive me! I lied to
them as I had never lied before. I boasted like a Bostonnais, and
when they commanded me to take charge in the Traverse, I said no,
though I had a pistol behind my head and my Amelia before my eyes
all the time. But they did not blow my brains out--they only
laughed at me. Madame, it is dreadful to be ready to die, and find
they only laugh," and the tears streamed down his rugged cheeks as
he spake.

"My good Gabriel, we are proud of you! Go on!"

"It was of no use; they had their boats out with flags to mark the
channel, and an old devil they called Killick swept me aside as
one might a dirty rag, and took command, calling out his directions
to the boats and edging the ship along without a mistake, though
I prayed with all my soul he might ground her. He was a sorcerer,
madame, for he took the ship up as if he had done nothing else all
his life. When they were through, they jeered at me in their damnab