We had already met and exchanged speech with some of the townsfolk,
and to retreat now might awaken suspicion. There was nothing for it
but to adventure boldly, and I made up my mind to this the more
readily because I had caught a glimpse of half a dozen fishing
smacks lying in the little harbor, and a larger vessel of perhaps
fifty tons moored to the jetty.
With a word to my comrades to be alert and ready for anything that
might happen, I led the way at a quick pace into the town. I had
grave misgivings when I noticed that the streets were en fete,
flags flying at the windows, and people gossiping in knots at the
corners. But we had certainly come too far to retreat, so I boldly
accosted a red-capped fisherman and demanded to be led to the
mairie.
As I walked along beside him I asked what was the occasion of the
festal appearance of the town, and learned with a disagreeable
shock that no other than the redoubtable Duguay-Trouin had that day
put into the harbor on the vessel that lay at the jetty.
"A notable visitor, truly," I said, feeling that I had run into a
hornet's nest. "But surely that small vessel is not Monsieur
Duguay-Trouin's own ship, in which he works such havoc among the
English."
"To be sure, monsieur," said the man, "that is an English prize.
His own ship lies in the offing there, towards the point; it draws
too much water to come into our harbor. And there is another prize
out there too: a big vessel, filled, so they say, with a valuable
cargo.
Pages:
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218