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lubin, you are an honest man; but you will not be offended if I write to Lethierry to acquaint him with this matter; and we have here in the boat a sailor from Guernsey, who is one of the crew of the _Tamaulipas_; his name is Ahier-Tostevin, and he will return to St. Malo on Zuela's next voyage, to bear testimony to the fact of my having returned to you, on Mess Lethierry's account, the sum of three thousand pounds sterling." It was Rantaine's voice. Clubin rarely did things by halves. Motionless as the coast-guardman had been, and in the exact same place, his eye still at the telescope, he did not lose sight of the boat for one moment. He saw it growing less amidst the waves; watched it disappear and reappear, and approach the vessel, which was lying-to; finally he recognised the tall figure of Rantaine on the deck of the _Tamaulipas_. When the boat was raised, and slung again to the davits, the _Tamaulipas_ was in motion once more. The land-breeze was fresh, and she spread all her sails. Clubin's glass continued fixed upon her outline growing more and more indistinct; until half an hour later, when the _Tamaulipas_ had become only a dark shape upon the horizon, growing smaller and smaller against the pale twilight in the sky. IX USEFUL INFORMATION FOR PERSONS WHO EXPECT OR FEAR THE ARRIVAL OF LETTERS FROM BEYOND SEA On that evening, Sieur Clubin returned late. One of the causes of his delay was, that before going to his inn, he had paid a visit to the Dinan gate of the town, a place where there were several wine-shops. In one of these wine-shops, where he was not known, he had bought a bottle of brandy, which he placed in the pocket of his overcoat, as if he desired to conceal it. Then, as the Durande was to start on the following morning, he had taken a turn aboard to satisfy himself that everything was in order. When Sieur Clubin returned to the Jean Auberge, there was no one left in the lower room except the old sea-captain, M. Gertrais-Gaboureau, who was drinking a jug of ale and smoking his pipe. M. Gertrais-Gaboureau saluted Sieur Clubin between a whiff and a draught of ale. "How d'ye do, Captain Clubin?" "Good evening, Captain Gertrais." "Well, the _Tamaulipas_ is gone." "Ah!" said Clubin, "I did not observe." Captain Gertrais-Gaboureau expectorated, and said: "Zuela has decamped." "When was that?" "This evening." "Where is he gone?" "To the devil." "No d
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