risoners by the Vendeans was a regrettable affair; and
recommended that no mention, whatever, should be made of it in the
despatches to Paris, lest this act of mercy by the insurgents
should arouse public opinion to insist upon a cessation of the
measures that had been taken for the annihilation of the Vendeans.

The fugitives, a vast crowd of over one hundred thousand men,
women, and children, reached Saint Florent without coming in
contact with the enemy. The Republican generals, indeed, had no
idea that the peasants had any intention of quitting their beloved
country; and imagined that they would disperse to their homes
again, and that there remained only the task of hunting them down.
A company had been left on a hill which commanded Saint Florent,
but they had no idea of being attacked, and had not even taken the
precaution of removing the boats across the river.

As soon as they arrived, the Vendeans attacked the post with fury,
and captured it. Twenty boats were found, and the crossing was
effected with no little difficulty. There were still two or three
thousand, principally women and children, to be taken over, when a
party of Republican dragoons arrived. Numbers of the women and
children were massacred; but the great bulk, flying precipitately,
regained the country beyond the heights of Saint Florent, and took
refuge in the woods.

The multitude were, for the present, safe. There was no strong
force of the enemy between Nantes and Saumur, and they halted for
the night, dispirited, worn out, and filled with grief. They had
left their homes and all they cared for behind. They were in a
strange country, without aim or purpose, their only hope being that
the Bretons would rise and join them--a poor hope, since the
terrible vengeance that had been taken on La Vendee could not but
strike terror throughout Brittany, also.

Jean Martin and Leigh had seen Patsey and the nurse placed in one
of the first boats that crossed.

"Do not go far from the spot where you land," they said. "We shall
stay here, until all is over. If the Blues come up before all have
crossed, we shall swim across with our horses; be under no
uneasiness about us."

Taking the horse out of the shafts of the cart, and putting a
saddle that they had brought with them on its back, they left the
three animals in charge of Francois; and then aided other officers
to keep order among the crowd, and to prevent them from pressing
into the boats, as t