e what would happen. But nothing did, only before dark he saw the
four men making their campfire on the edge of the woods near Louis's
house. I reckon they knew he'd be ready and wanted to keep him
waiting. Anyway, they was there all next day.

"T' third morning I caught sight of some men loading a boat at Louis's
stage, so, being only a hobbledehoy then, I guessed they'd not take
much notice of me, and no more they did. They told me Louis had tried
to break away t' second night in t' dark, but they caught him and
carried his pack back for him, and what else they did to he I don't
rightly know. Anyhow, they loaded up their own boat and then Louis's
two boats with fish and twine, and everything else that were worth
taking and they could stow, not forgetting t' barrel of flour and t'
keg of molasses.

"Skipper Bill told me that t' Governor offered to make him t' captain
of a man-o'-war, just to stop t' law-breaking on the coast. But he
were a policeman instead because he felt ashamed to see t' laws broken
and villains like Louis go free. 'It's to teach you people on t' coast
to be good boys what brings us away from our homes so far in t'
fishing season.'

"They never stopped loading a minute all t' time, and as soon as ever
they were ready, and that wasn't long after it were light, away they
goes towing t' two boats behind, and giving it to her straight for t'
Labrador. 'Skipper Life,' Bill shouted, just after the anchor was up,
'if you sees Louis be sure and tell him to be good and say his
prayers, and when he is ready, not to forget his uncles in Labrador
and come over and settle down peaceful like.'

"No, Doctor, Louis never got so much as a match back, though he wrote
and wrote about it--and Louis were a good scholar, being well learnt
in France. All t' Government did was to offer Captain Fordland, who
fished t' big Jersey rooms across near Isle au Loup on Labrador,
another hundred dollars to bring back Skipper Bill with him in t'
fall. T' captain told his men that they could divide t' money if they
liked to catch old Portland out of hours.

"I 'lows it was more t' fun of hunting than anything else that started
'em, though two hundred dollars cash meant a nice bit in them times.
Soon there were half a dozen small crowds keeping an eye out for Bill.
There were no wires or mail steamers to carry news them days, and it
so happened that Bill fell right into t' trap. For Captain Fordland
did a bit o' trade, and Bill,