esently by the end of the road, we must spring upon
her and carry her off to the coach."

"If she cries for help," replied the Schoolmaster, "they will hear her
at the farm, if, as you say, the out-buildings are visible from here;
for you--you can see," he added, in a sullen tone.

"Oh, yes, we can see the buildings from here quite plainly," said
Tortillard. "It is only a minute ago that I climbed to the top of the
bank, and, lying down on my belly, I could hear a carter who was talking
to his horses in the yard there."

"I'll tell you, then, what we must do," said the Schoolmaster, after a
moment's silence. "Let Tortillard have the watch at the entrance to the
path. When he sees the young girl returning, let him go and meet her,
saying that he is the son of a poor old woman who has hurt herself by
falling down the hollow road, and beg the girl to come to her
assistance."

"I'm up to you, _fourline_; the poor old woman is your darling Chouette.
You're 'wide-awake!' My man, you are always the king of the 'downy ones'
(_tetards_). What must I do afterwards?"

"Conceal yourself in the hollow way on the side where Barbillon is
waiting with the coach. I will be at hand. When Tortillard has brought
the wench to you in the middle of the ravine, leave off whimpering and
spring upon her, put one 'mauley' round her 'squeeze,' and the other
into her 'patter-box,' and 'grab' her 'red rag' to prevent her from
squeaking."

"I know, I know, _fourline_; as we did with the woman at the canal of
St. Martin, when we gave her cold water for supper (drowned her), after
having 'prigged' her 'negress' (the parcel wrapped in black oil-skin)
which she had under her arm,--the same 'dodge,' isn't it?"

"Yes, precisely. But mind, grab the girl tight whilst Tortillard comes
and fetches me. We three will then bundle her up in my cloak, carry her
to Barbillon's coach, from thence to the plain of St. Denis, where the
man in black will await us."

"That's the way to do business, my _fourline_; you are without an equal!
If I could, I would let off a firework on your head, and illuminate you
with the colours of Saint Charlot, the patron of 'scragsmen.' Do you
see, you urchin? If you would be an 'out-and-outer,' make my husband
your model," said the Chouette, boastingly to Tortillard. Then,
addressing the Schoolmaster, "By the way, do you know that Barbillon is
in an awful 'funk' (fright)? He thinks that he shall be had up before
the 'beaks' on