the
gendarmes left the house. It was Mademoiselle Sophie's idea, she's a
clever young lady. Directly the dresses were completed, Francois and I
started off on horseback, as we knew the road you had taken, I dressed
as you see me, and carrying my fiddle in a bag hung round my neck. I
was a strolling player once, and belonged to a circus before I became a
sailor, so I was at home on horseback, and I was at home also when
playing my tricks off on the gendarmes. I have keen wits and strong
nerves, messieurs. One without the other is of small value. United,
wonders can be worked. How I did bamboozle those stupid fellows! It
was fortunate, however, that none of the black crew of the schooner or
my late shipmates appeared, or I should have been discovered. Now, put
on these dresses, they are such as are worn by the planters of this
country, and you can pretend you are going to a fair at Goave to buy
mules, that is what Francois advises, and he has got a good head on his
shoulders. I wish that he could have come with us, but as soon as he
had deposited these clothes he had to ride back as fast as he could to
attend to his mistress, and I undertook the rest."

"You have indeed done your part well," said Rayner. "What shall we do
with our own clothes?"

"Do your jackets and trousers up in bundles, and carry them with you.
You must take care, however, not to let them out of your hands,"
answered Le Duc.

As they were in a solitary place, with no chance of being overheard, the
men, as they looked at themselves by the light of a lantern Le Duc had
carried, though he had not until now lit it, indulged in hearty
laughter.

"You do look like an overseer, Brown," said Jack, "and I should be
precious sorry to be a black slave when you had your whip lifted above
my shoulders. You'd hit mighty hard, I've a notion."

As Rayner and Oliver surveyed each other, they expressed strong doubts
whether their disguise was sufficient to enable them to pass undetected,
and they agreed that it would be necessary to keep as much as possible
out of the way of the inhabitants. Still, the risk must be run. The
consequences of being caught would be very serious to them, yet more so
to Le Duc, who would almost to a certainty be shot for having assisted
in their escape.

Having done up their clothes in the handkerchiefs which had contained
the dresses they now had on, they pushed forward.

Le Duc had never before been in that part of t