erant; he had no doubt of the
resolution and devotion of the five sailors in the boat; he thought of
precipitating himself with Angela and Monmouth into the boat and
ordering the sailors to make all speed over the waves in order to join
the Chameleon, and to set sail with speed. The soldiers, though thirty
in number, would be so surprised by this sudden flight that success
would be possible. A new incident upset this project of the chevalier.

A voice which, though distant, was very powerful, cried, "In the name of
the king, stop; allow no one to embark!"

Croustillac turned suddenly toward the direction from which the voice
came, and he saw a marine officer who was coming out of a redoubt
erected near Cayman's Cove.

"In the name of the king, allow no one to embark," came the voice again.

"Be easy, lieutenant," responded a subordinate, who until then had not
been perceived, for he was hidden by the piles of the wharf, "I will
not allow the tender to leave without your orders."

"That is well, Thomas, and beside," replied the officer, firing a shot
from his gun as a signal, "the coastguard will not permit the brigantine
to sail."

It would be impossible to paint the frightful agony of the actors in
this scene. Croustillac saw that his plan for flight was out of the
question, because the slightest signal from the coastguard would prevent
the departure of the Chameleon.

The officer who had just appeared stopped in front of Croustillac and
Chemerant, and said to them, "In the name of the king, I order you to
tell me who you are and where you are going, gentlemen; by the
governor's orders no one can sail from here without a permit from him.

"Sir," said Chemerant, "the soldiers who are with me are part of the
governor's guard; you see, I am acting by his consent."

"An escort, sir! you have an escort!" said the astonished officer.

"There, near the mole, sir," said Croustillac.

"Oh, that is another matter, sir; the light was so feeble that I had not
noticed the soldiers. I hope you will pardon me, sir."

This man, who seemed extremely talkative, approached the governor's
guard, examined them a moment, and said with excessive volubility, "My
orders are simply to prevent persons going toward the wharf, just now
the Chameleon, and a fine vessel she is, belonging to Blue Beard, and
which has bravely run down a Spanish pirate--came last night to the
mooring."

"Sir, I beg you to silence this insupportable babbl