Part 19 (1/2)
At last they heard the tramp of horses' hoofs, and about a quarter of an hour afterwards, though they thought it gs, and bread, and other substantial fare They were down the ladder in a twinkling, and war their thanks They did not require un to cast ravenous glances at the viands alternately, with affectionate ones towards her, while Paul was translating what he desired him to say She looked very pale, and told theendarmes had come, not to look for them, but for a political criminal, a royalist of rank, who had been concealed in the chateau, but had fortunately escaped About noon she caentleman, a perfect picture of a French man of rank of the old school--buckles, knee-breeches, flowered waistcoat, bag, wig, and all She introduced hian to talk with Paul, and soon became communicative
”I once had two brave boys,” he said ”I have lost both of them One perished at sea; the other has been desperately wounded fighting in a cause he detests; yet he was dragged aithout the power of escaping
I scarcely expect to see hiain; but if he recovers, my prayer is that he may be taken prisoner, for I alish people That is one of the reasons that I desire to help you I have other reasons One is, that I hope through the English the cause I espouse may triuer a safe abode for you It will be subject to frequent visits froed aith all my domestics, when you must either starve or be discovered”
The reed to the wisdoain and again for the refuge he had afforded theht with him that it would be wise for them to start immediately on their journey to the north They had consulted with Rosalie how they were to proceed, and they thought with her that they ht make their way dressed as country lads from some place in the south of France where a patois was spoken scarcely known in the north; that he, Paul, was to act as spokesman, and that O'Grady was to pretend to be deaf and dumb As a reason for their journey, Paul was to state that their father was a sailor, and that they had heard he was lying wounded at some place on the coast, and wanted to see them before he died
This story, it must be understood, was concocted by Miss Rosalie, whose active fingers had been engaged night and day for nearly a week inthe costumes for the two midshi+pmen They had reason to be thankful to her The day was spent in preparing for the journey The clothes fitted beautifully Rosalie said that she did not know she was so good a tailor The difficulty was to ested, however, that they were to be the grandsons of a small farht up, and that therefore they would be well clothed, with some little money in their pockets She had also fastened up in two belts soold and silver coins, all the little money she possessed, and she told them that they must take it and repay her when they could O'Grady, who fully intended to co the e without it; however, he yielded when the foret on without money in France more than in any other country, and if we intend to starve we had better have remained prisoners”
In the afternoon Jaques drove the cart into the court-yard, and backed it up to the door by which they had entered Rosalie ca; still she looked very pretty
”I have coo; you will follow out the directions you have received as nearly as possible”
It had been arranged that they should go on in the cart till dark, and then walk as far as they could on foot during the night, concealing themselves in some secluded spot in the day-tiue for resting; they were not to court observation, though they were not to dread it, if it could not be avoided They were, however, on no account to enter a town, by night or by day, if they could help it No one, indeed, could have arranged alike the wits of an honest clear-sighted woet them out of it
Rosalie had provided them allets well filled with food, so that they need not for soe to procure food--not, indeed, till they ell to the north of the line of road the Brest prisoners passed
Both theto part from Rosalie, and O'Grady felt more in love with her than ever; still they ave them a kind e the to school, hurried the to the round, with several span new sacks to fill with flour There was a clear space for two sacks across two others, with the empty sacks thrown over the inner end Into this they crept They could look out from behind the loose sacks, and as the cart drove out of the court-yard they could see Rosalie watching theh more than once Jaques stopped and talked to some one, and then on he went at the sahed and said, that the cart was already laden heavily enough with so many sacks of wheat, and that it would break down if a burly fellow like the speaker were to get into it, or the horse would refuse to go It was getting dark, but the sky was clear, and as they could see the stars by which to steer, they had little doubt that they should find their way
Jaques drew up in a solitary spot a little off the read
”Farewell, young gentleet from under the sacks: ” that road; you will o further with you, but I dare not Farewell, farewell!” Saying this, he shook theentle shove on in the direction they were to take, as if his heart longed to go with them, he jumped into the cart and drove rapidly away
They now felt for the first time how helpless they were, and the difficulty of their undertaking; but they were brave lads, and quickly again plucked up courage They had been provided with sticks, and trudged on boldly Mile afterdead flats, were traversed
”It will make us sleep all the sounder,” observed O'Grady, who had a happy facility for”If ere at sea noe should have to be pacing the deck with a cold breeze in our teeth, and reed, though they were not sorry when daylight ca-place They saw a forest so discovered nu
”They are not likely to be removed for soin on the outer ones, and we shall have time to decamp Let's make ourselves sorass, and we shall sleep as co sos the as easily accomplished, and no one outside would have observed what they had done They crept in, and were very soon fast asleep They awoke perfectly rested, and prepared to resu out they found that it was not reater part of the day to wait
This they did not at all like O'Grady was for pushi+ng on in spite of their first resolutions; Paul wished to re No one had come to remove the wood, so that they were not likely to be disturbed As they were hungry they ate soo to sleep again--not a difficult task for midshi+p so He touched O'Grady's arlish, and they both had an idea that they knew the voice The singer appeared to be near, and es of wood Paul slowly lifted up his head A shout and an expression indicative of astonisher, who stood, like one transfixed, gazing at Paul The shout made O'Grady lift up his head, and they had aure before theh blue and white predominated On his head, instead of a hat, he wore a wisp of straw, secured by a handkerchief; his feet were also protected by wisps of straw, and round his waist he wore a belt with an axe stuck in it Altogether, he did not look like a man possessed with much of this world's wealth The midshi+pmen looked at him, and he looked at the
”It is--no it isn't--yes it is!” exclaientlerified, I for one shouldn't have known you!”
”What, Reuben Cole, is it really you? Ihim by the hand, followed by O'Grady
”This is a fortunate ”
”Why, that's as it may turn out; but how did you come to look like that?”
Paul told him, and then put the saot away from our Jennydams, I found a hole in the hillside close under where I jumped off the road Thinks I toaway down the hill through the wood, leaving , and swearing at one another, and I all the tione away on their road wondering where I'd gone I then started up and ran down the hill just in time to see a cart driven by a man in white I shouted, but he didn't hear ht for you, at all events Then I went back toabout in this guise I'll sure to be taken: so I reot in ave me, and which the rascally privateer's-men hadn't stolen; so out I takes it and sets to work to make up my clothes in a new fashi+on I couldn't --by no rified htn't be like a runaway prisoner It took me two days before I was fit to be seen-- pretty sentleman sent out ry, and I can't say if I'd fallen in with a hen-roost what I'd have done I got soether