utermost bowlder, I drew the long white scarf from my neck
and waved it to and fro above my head. To my intense joy, I was
answered by the boat hauling round, and lowering and raising the
point of one of her sails--the same signal I had seen Gabriel make
to M. de Montcalm off Cap Tourmente. It was Gabriel himself! his
signal assured me of it; and at the sight the morning took on a
new glory, for the terror and bitterness of the night had passed
as I watched the boat as my deliverance hastening towards me.

As she came on, I made out Gabriel distinctly, and before long the
boat was lying motionless, Gabriel had his shallop over the side,
and a moment later was splashing through the shallow water, and
bowing as though he had parted from me only yesterday.

"'Bon chien chasse de race,' madame. I was cruising about, as I
always am, ready for the first ship which appears, when I saw the
light; and though it did not burn long enough for a signal, I
thought it well to look it up; and now, madame, I am at your orders,
as I promised. I was sure you would want me some day."

"Oh, Gabriel, I do want you! I never stood in greater need. Take
me on board, and I will tell you."

He showed no surprise at my demand, but merely repeating his
favourite proverb, "ce que femme vent, Dieu le veut," lifted me in
his arms like a child, and carried me through mud and water, and
set me in his shallop, when a few strokes brought as alongside the
boat, and I was in safety on her deck. Then the sails were once
more set, and we stood away from the shore and up the river.

[Illustration: "He carried me through mud and water, and set
me in his shallop."]

He did not question me, nor, indeed, would he allow me to speak,
until he had provided a hot drink of some sweetened spirit, which
brought back the glow to my blood, and then he set about preparing
breakfast, keeping up an incessant chatter the while, until he had
me laughing at his flow of talk.

"Aha! That is better!" he exclaimed, joyfully. "Now, madame, what
are your orders?"

"Can you take me to Quebec?"

"I can--but--" and his face lengthened.

"But what?"

"Well, madame, to be truthful, I am expecting the first ships every
day now; they are late as it is; and if I am off the ground, why,
then the bread must drop into some one else's basket! That is all."

"I can pay you well for what you may lose in this way."

"It is not only the money, madame, 'l'argent est rond et ca roule,