ve only been giving him an extra touch or two, to impress his memory,
and save us the trouble of lashing him up again.'

'I don't believe it,' I said bluntly--but I felt the check, and fell to
earth. 'The man cannot speak.'

'No, but he has managed to tell us what we want; that he will guide us
to the place we are seeking,' the Captain answered drily. 'The whip, if
it cannot find a man a tongue, can find him wits. What is more, I think
that he will keep his word,' he continued, with a hideous scowl. 'For I
warn him that if he does not, all your heroics shall not save him. He
is a rebel dog, and known to us of old; and I will flay his back to the
bones, ay, until we can see his heart beating through his ribs, but I
will have what I want--in your teeth, too, you d----d meddler.'

'Steady, steady!' I said, sobered. I saw that he was telling the truth.
'Is he going to take you to M. de Cocheforet's hiding-place?'

'Yes, he is!' the Captain retorted. 'Have you any objection to that,
Master Spy?'

'None,' I replied. 'Only I shall go with you. And if you live three
months, I shall kill you for that name-behind the barracks at Auch, M.
le Capitaine.'

He changed colour, but he answered me boldly enough.

'I don't know that you will go with us,' he said, with a snarl. 'That is
as we please.'

'I have the Cardinal's orders,' I said sternly.

'The Cardinal?' he exclaimed, stung to fury by this repetition of the
name. 'The Cardinal be--'

But the Lieutenant laid his hand on his lips and stopped him.

'Hush!' he said. Then more quietly, 'Your pardon, M. le Capitaine; but
the least said the soonest mended. Shall I give orders to the men to
fall in?'

The Captain nodded sullenly.

The Lieutenant turned to his prisoner.

'Take him down!' he commanded in his harsh, monotonous voice. 'Throw
his blouse over him, and tie his hands. And do you two, Paul and Lebrun,
guard him. Michel, bring the whip, or he may forget how it tastes.
Sergeant, choose four good men, and dismiss the rest to their quarters.'

'Shall we need the horses?' the sergeant asked.

'I don't know,' the Captain answered peevishly. 'What does the rogue
say?'

The Lieutenant stepped up to him.

'Listen!' he said grimly. 'Nod if you mean yes, and shake your head if
you mean no. And have a care you answer truly. Is it more than a mile to
this place?'

They had loosened the poor wretch's fastenings, and covered his back.
He stood leaning his shoulder ag