less fixed grin aroused repulsion. Its bearing of distinct courage
alone somewhat reclaimed it. His cloak was thrown back, showing a gold
lace belt stuck with knives and pistols, while on his head was a green
cap, which Grancey recognised as the cap of the galley felons.

"What news of the Galley-on-land, Admiral?" asked the robber leader.

"All goes well."

"How many at our oars?"

"Two hundred and forty-eight."

"Besides friends?"

"Besides thirty-four friends. We are all in the salt country now except
yourselves and the bench at Paris. We reviewed in the pines of Morlaix
last month. Such brave ragmen! Forty-seven had killed a hog."

The circle's eyes glistened.

"Yes, the hogs fear us, but the Galley is dark as wind."

"You should have seen the hogs to-day," cried the cave leader; "stupid
beasts, too fat to jump."

"Why didn't you stick them?"

"Sacre Dieu! not here; it's too near the Big Hog."

"The Big Hog does not worry us at Morlaix. Since the salt-tax is raised
four _sous_ in the pound we are all in the Brittany marshes, passing
salt into Maine. In Maine a poor man can eat no meat because he can have
no brine. You can guess that where the people squeal so there is room
for our profit. We lie in the marshes; we gather our piles of salt; we
creep out by night through the woods, and--flip--past the salt-guards
into Maine. Guards, guards, guards--blue men, black men, green men--all
over France. Sacre! they are an itch--a leprosy. Do we hate them, we
all?"

"By the oath of the Green Cap," they cried all together.

"Well, we _were_ vagabonds," he continued, "in the Morlaix woods. Our
great fire lit up the pines at midnight and our men of rags crept up on
all sides to the feast. Some brought white bread, some black, some a
pigeon or two from the lord's dovecotes, and every one his bottle of
wine. There we told what we were doing and planned the campaign. You may
swear we were jolly that night. They have sent me to visit your bench of
Fontainebleau, and pray you for the ransom-money of Blogue, who lies in
Bordeaux prison to be hanged. Two of his guards can be settled for
eighty livres. You are rich, they say, and can pay it."

"Yes, we can afford it," cried the cavern-chief boastfully.

"I thought so, handsome ragmen," returned the visitor. He dropped the
point for a moment and suddenly throwing his right hand free from his
cloak rose into a curious strain of eloquence which made manifest the
nature