ey wouldn't let you."

"Oh, they would," said Denis.

"Well, sir," said the skipper, "you wait and see."

CHAPTER SEVEN.

ONLY A BOY.

The rough old skipper was right, for after getting in as close as he
could, the vessel took the ground, and some time was spent in hailing
and getting a large flat barge close alongside to the open gangway.

A big spar with its blocks and tackle was run out, and proceedings were
commenced with the men for slinging the horses off the deck and lowering
them down; but everything was of the roughest kind and perfectly
unsuitable, while the horses, which were recovering fast from their
stormy journey, grew more and more restless, and after several attempts
with the King's charger, which was to be the first, it resented the
handling of the men, lashed out, and then began to rear, proving in a
short time that disaster must follow the attempt, for plainly enough, if
the horse began to struggle when raised from the deck, it would free
itself from the badly fitted on ropes and be seriously damaged and
maimed before being finally lowered down.

The worse matters grew the more the King lost his temper. He bullied,
raged, and stormed, called the skipper and his men clumsy idiots and
imbeciles, till temper was lost on the other side, the skipper's face,
always ruddy and brown, grew red and black, and he ended by telling his
Majesty that he would have to wait, for the men should do no more.

"This will be the end of our travels," whispered Saint Simon, "for the
King will now betray himself."

"The Comte, you mean," said Denis quietly; for he had been standing very
thoughtful and quiet, thinking over his conversation with the skipper
hours before, and starting forward suddenly just as the King was
clapping his hand to his sword, he whispered to him quickly:

"I think I can get the horses ashore, Sire."

"How dare--here--how?"

"Will your Majesty let me try--I mean, Monsieur le Comte, will you let
me try?"

"Hah! That's better, boy. But speak; what do you mean to do?"

"Let me show you, sir," cried the boy excitedly, and going to where his
steed was tethered, he patted and tried to soothe it for a few moments
before taking bit and bridle and fitting them on. Then he called to the
skipper.

"What do you want?" said the man gruffly, as he came up scowling.

"Have that flat hauled away," said Denis quickly, "and then give me a
clear space on the deck. There isn't much room, but