nly English words he knew), and so saying he
descended to the lower deck.

This was divided into three compartments--one which was covered by the
floor of that room in which Athos, Porthos and Aramis were to pass the
night; the second was to serve as the sleeping-room for the servants,
the third, under the prow of the ship, was under the temporary cabin in
which Mordaunt was concealed.

"Oho!" cried D'Artagnan, as he went down the steps of the hatchway,
preceded by the lantern, "what a number of barrels! one would think one
was in the cave of Ali Baba. What is there in them?" he added, putting
his lantern on one of the casks.

The captain seemed inclined to go upon deck again, but controlling
himself he answered:

"Port wine."

"Ah! port wine! 'tis a comfort," said the Gascon, "since we shall not
die of thirst. Are they all full?"

Grimaud translated the question, and Groslow, who was wiping the
perspiration from off his forehead, answered:

"Some full, others empty."

D'Artagnan struck the barrels with his hand, and having ascertained that
he spoke the truth, pushed his lantern, greatly to the captain's alarm,
into the interstices between the barrels, and finding that there was
nothing concealed in them:

"Come along," he said; and he went toward the door of the second
compartment.

"Stop!" said the Englishman, "I have the key of that door;" and he
opened the door, with a trembling hand, into the second compartment,
where Mousqueton and Blaisois were preparing supper.

Here there was evidently nothing to seek or to apprehend and they passed
rapidly to examine the third compartment.

This was the room appropriated to the sailors. Two or three hammocks
hung upon the ceiling, a table and two benches composed the entire
furniture. D'Artagnan picked up two or three old sails hung on the
walls, and meeting nothing to suspect, regained by the hatchway the deck
of the vessel.

"And this room?" he asked, pointing to the captain's cabin.

"That's my room," replied Groslow.

"Open the door."

The captain obeyed. D'Artagnan stretched out his arm in which he held
the lantern, put his head in at the half opened door, and seeing that
the cabin was nothing better than a shed:

"Good," he said. "If there is an army on board it is not here that it is
hidden. Let us see what Porthos has found for supper." And thanking the
captain, he regained the state cabin, where his friends were.

Porthos had found nothing, an