of the men there,
before they have time to draw their firearms; if any of them struggle,
shoot at their legs or arms, but on no account kill the tall man. Do you
understand?"

"We understand, citoyen."

"The man who is tall above the average is probably also strong above the
average; it will take four or five of you at least to overpower him."

There was a little pause, then Chauvelin continued,--

"If the royalist traitors are still alone, which is more than likely to
be the case, then warn your comrades who are lying in wait there, and
all of you creep and take cover behind the rocks and boulders round the
hut, and wait there, in dead silence, until the tall Englishman arrives;
then only rush the hut, when he is safely within its doors. But remember
that you must be as silent as the wolf is at night, when he prowls
around the pens. I do not wish those royalists to be on the alert--the
firing of a pistol, a shriek or call on their part would be sufficient,
perhaps, to warn the tall personage to keep clear of the cliffs, and of
the hut, and," he added emphatically, "it is the tall Englishman whom it
is your duty to capture tonight."

"You shall be implicitly obeyed, citoyen."

"Then get along as noiselessly as possible, and I will follow you."

"What about the Jew, citoyen?" asked Desgas, as silently like noiseless
shadows, one by one the soldiers began to creep along the rough and
narrow footpath.

"Ah, yes; I had forgotten about the Jew," said Chauvelin, and, turning
towards the Jew, he called him peremptorily.

"Here, you . . . Aaron, Moses, Abraham, or whatever your confounded name
may be," he said to the old man, who had quietly stood beside his lean
nag, as far away from the soldiers as possible.

"Benjamin Rosenbaum, so it please your Honour," he replied humbly.

"It does not please me to hear your voice, but it does please me to give
you certain orders, which you will find it wise to obey."

"So it please your Honour . . ."

"Hold your confounded tongue. You shall stay here, do you hear? with
your horse and cart until our return. You are on no account to utter
the faintest sound, or to even breathe louder than you can help; nor are
you, on any consideration whatever, to leave your post, until I give you
orders to do so. Do you understand?"

"But your Honour--" protested the Jew pitiably.

"There is no question of 'but' or of any argument," said Chauvelin, in a
tone that made the timid old man t