s the panel closed. What midshipmen were ever in a more
delightful situation? They were not frightened a bit, and only wished
that they could find some crevice through which they could get a look at
the intruders, and O'Grady regretted that they had not a brace or two of
pistols with which they could shoot them. They sprang up the ladder
only as cats or midshipmen could do, and had placed themselves on the
roof, when they heard the clank of sabres and spurs, and the tread of
heavy men, and a gleam of light came through a crevice in the wooden
ceiling. It was close to Paul's head, and looking down he saw three
gendarmes peering round and round the room. They were evidently at
fault, however. Behind them stood old Jaques with a lantern from which
he sent the light into every corner of the room. There was a book on
the table, and a chair near it.

"Who reads here?" asked one of the men.

"My young mistress, of course," answered Jaques, promptly.

"She said just now that she was here to attend on her uncle," remarked
the gendarmes.

"So she is, and good care she takes of the old gentleman; but he sleeps
sometimes, so I relieve her," returned Jaques. "She is fond of
solitude."

"That is a pity; I should like to keep her company," said the gendarme,
with a grin, which made O'Grady clench his fist, and Jaques look
indignant. The man put the book under his arm, and having been unable
to discover anything apparently, ordered his companions to fallow him
down-stairs. O'Grady was for descending into the room at once from
their uncomfortable position; but Paul held him back, observing that
they had not heard the door at the foot of the stairs shut, and that
they might easily be surprised. He advised that they should as
noiselessly as possible take their bed-clothes up to the roof, and sleep
there, however uncomfortable it might be to do so.

"Not for our own sakes alone, but for that of Rosalie and _Mon Oncle_,
we are bound in honour to do so."

That settled the question--fortunately--for before long the door opened
softly, and one of the gendarmes crept in on tip-toe. He crept round
and round the room with a lantern in his hand, like a terrier hunting
for a rat which he is sure has his hole thereabouts. O'Grady had gone
to sleep, and had begun to snore. Happily he had ceased just as the man
appeared.

Paul was afraid that he would begin again, and he dared not touch him
lest he should cry out. He leaned ov