rat disappear in the shade of the cavern's mouth.

"No," replied Biscarrat, "there must be something extraordinary in the
place--don't let us risk ourselves all at once. If in ten minutes you do
not hear of me, you can come in, but not all at once."

"Be it so," said the young men, who, besides, did not see that Biscarrat
ran much risk in the enterprise, "we will wait for you." And without
dismounting from their horses, they formed a circle round the grotto.

Biscarrat entered then alone, and advanced through the darkness till he
came in contact with the muzzle of Porthos' musket. The resistance which
his chest met with astonished him; he naturally raised his hand and laid
hold of the icy barrel. At the same instant Yves lifted a knife against
the young man, which was about to fall upon him with all the force of a
Breton's arm, when the iron wrist of Porthos stopped it half way. Then,
like low muttering thunder, his voice growled in the darkness, "I will
not have him killed!"

Biscarrat found himself between a protection and a threat, the one
almost as terrible as the other. However brave the young man might be,
he could not prevent a cry escaping him, which Aramis immediately
suppressed by placing a handkerchief over his mouth. "Monsieur de
Biscarrat," said he in a low voice, "we mean you no harm, and you must
know that, if you have recognized us; but, at the first word, the first
sigh, or the first breath, we shall be forced to kill you as we have
killed your dogs."

"Yes, I recognize you, gentlemen," said the officer, in a low voice.
"But why are you here--what are you doing here? Unfortunate men! I
thought you were in the fort."

"And you, monsieur, you were to obtain conditions for us, I think?"

"I did all I was able, messieurs, but--"

"But what?"

"But there are positive orders."

"To kill us?" Biscarrat made no reply. It would have cost him too much
to speak of the cord to gentlemen. Aramis understood the silence of his
prisoner.

"M. Biscarrat," said he, "you would be already dead if we had not had
regard for your youth and our ancient association with your father; but
you may yet escape from the place by swearing that you will not tell
your companions what you have seen."

"I will not only swear that I will not speak of it," said Biscarrat,
"but I still further swear that I will do everything in the world to
prevent my companions from setting foot in the grotto."

"Biscarrat! Biscarrat!" cried