ed. The
hearthstone was soon cleared and raised, and Martin brought out a
crock, in which he had placed the gold.

"Now, Leigh," he said, "you had better have a talk with your boys,
and arrange where they are to meet you. I should not press any of
them who are unwilling to go. This is a private business, and I do
not think that it would be right to urge them."

"Certainly not," Leigh agreed. "I am quite sure that all our boys
will go with us, both for Patsey's sake, and because they are
furious at the chateau being burnt down; as to the others, I shall
put it to them that they are perfectly free to do as they wish.
They can go with us, or they can rejoin the army, just as they
like.

"If they go, I think that it would be as well that they did not
enter the town; but should take up their quarters in a copse, or in
a deserted house, a mile or two away, so that we could call them if
we wanted them. Even in a town like Nantes, forty strange boys
wandering about might be noticed."

Martin, after seeing that the workers all had refreshment, went to
the cure's; as he never interfered in any way with the boys,
thinking that it might lessen Leigh's authority, were he to do so.

"Now, I want to talk to you all," Leigh said, after they had drunk
their wine and eaten their bread. "In the first place, do I
understand that all who were first with me are ready to run a
considerable risk to attempt, with us, to carry off Madame Martin
from the hands of the Blues, and to save her from the fate that
falls upon every one that they once lay a hand upon?"

"They are all willing, captain," Andre said. "We spoke to them
again, just before we came in last night, and they all said that
they were willing and anxious."

"Good. Remember, lads, that it is not too late to draw back now."

"We should not dare show our face in the village again," Pierre
said, "if we were to hang back when there was a chance of our being
of service to so good a lady."

"I thank you with all my heart," Leigh said. "I tell you fairly
that I expected such an answer. Those who have shown such courage
as you have done, and have been so loyal to the promises made me
when I first enrolled you, would, I felt certain, not hang back
now. Now, do you draw aside for a minute or two, while I speak to
the others."

There was a movement, and the two groups stood apart.

"Your case is different from that of the others," he said. "In the
first place, you have not been w