ck to
England as fast as they could. He also wished to see his mother and
sisters, and to put them out of their anxiety about him. At last he
told O'Grady that he wouldn't help him any longer to learn French if he
did not put such foolish notions out of his head, and that he was very
sure without him he would never get on. Paddy had sense enough to see
that he must knock under, and that Paul was, in reality, the better man
of the two. They were to see _Mon Oncle_, as Rosalie always called the
owner of the chateau, on the following day. They were not allowed to
have a light in the turret, lest it should betray them; so, as soon as
it was dark, they went to sleep. The weather outside was unpleasant,
for it was blowing and raining hard. They had not long coiled
themselves up in their respective corners, when there was a loud
knocking at the chief door of the chateau, the noise resounding through
the passages up to their turret.

"Some benighted travellers seeking shelter from the storm," observed
O'Grady. "I am glad that we are not out going across country in such a
night as this."

There was a pause, and again a loud knocking.

"Old Jaques is in no hurry to let in the strangers," observed Paul. "He
suspects that these are not friends; we must keep our eyes open.
Remember what Rosalie told us."

"Ay, ay, mate, I am not likely to forget what she says," answered Paddy,
who had not quite got over his feeling of annoyance with Paul.

They listened attentively. Those outside were at length admitted, they
fancied; but, further than that, they could make out nothing. They
waited all ready to jump up and run into their hiding-place, for they
were persuaded that this evening visit had reference to them. They
heard doors slamming and strange sounds produced by the blast rushing
through the passages and windows.

"Yes, I am certain that there is a search going on in the house,"
whispered O'Grady. "I hope _Mon Oncle_ won't get into a scrape on our
account, or dear Rosalie," (he had got to call her "dear" by this time.)
"Hark! how the wind roars and whistles."

There was a door banged not far from the foot of the stairs; it made the
whole tower shake. They were silent for a minute, when a bell tinkled.
Before it had ceased to vibrate, the midshipmen had started up, and,
seizing their bed-clothes, had rushed to the panel. They started
through and closed it behind them, but only just in time, for the door
opened a