Philip and his companions, aided by the boatmen,
carried the cargo ashore; while the farmer crossed the road to the
merchant with whom he dealt. His store was not more than fifty
yards from the place of landing and, as soon as he returned, the
work began. In an hour and a half the whole of the barrels were
carried over. The farmer's wife had seen to the carriage of her
portion of the cargo to the inn her husband frequented on these
occasions. It was close to the marketplace, and there she would, as
soon as the market opened in the morning, dispose of them; and by
nine o'clock they would be on board again. When the last barrel was
carried into the store, the farmer handed Jacques the crown he had
taken, as pledge for the performance of the bargain.

"You are smart fellows," he said, "and nimble. The same number of
these towns fellows would have taken double the time that you have
done; and I must have had six, at least, to have got the wine
safely stored before nightfall."

"We are well contented with our bargain," Jacques said. "It is
better to work hard for two hours, than to walk for two days. So
good day to you, master, for we shall get on our way at once, and
do not want to spend our money in the wine shops here."

Possessing themselves of their steel caps and swords again, they
made their way through the busy town to the south gates; through
which a stream of peasants, with carts, horses, and donkeys was
passing out, having disposed of the produce they had brought in.

"Where are you bound to, you two with steel caps?" the officer at
the gate asked.

Jacques and his brother paused, while Philip and Pierre, who had
stowed their caps in the bundles they carried, went on without
stopping; as it had previously been agreed that, in case of one or
more of his followers being stopped, Philip should continue his
way; as it was urgent that he should not suffer anything to delay
him in the delivery of his message. He waited, however, a quarter
of a mile from the gates, and the two men then rejoined him.

"We had no difficulty, sir," Jacques said. "We said that we once
had served, and were going to do so again, having grown sick
working in the vineyards; and that we had come up from Blaye with a
cargo of wine, and had taken our discharge, and were now bound for
Agen to see our families, before joining the force that the
Viscount de Rouillac, under whom our father held a farm, would no
doubt be putting in the field. Th