But, instead of obeying, the shadow made a motion of
surprise, and, retreating instead of advancing, it bent down
and disappeared along the jetty on the left, directing its
course towards the lodging of the fishermen.

"It appears not to be Digby," said Monk.

Both had followed the shadow which had vanished. But it was
not so rare a thing for a man to be wandering about at
eleven o'clock at night, in a camp in which are reposing ten
or eleven thousand men, as to give Monk and Athos any alarm
at his disappearance.

"As it is so," said Monk, "and we must have a light, a
lantern, a torch, or something by which we may see where to
set our feet, let us seek this light."

"General, the first soldier we meet will light us."

"No," said Monk, in order to discover if there were not any
connivance between the Comte de la Fere and the fisherman.
"No, I should prefer one of these French sailors who came
this evening to sell me their fish. They leave to-morrow,
and the secret will be better kept by them; whereas, if a
report should be spread in the Scotch army, that treasures
are to be found in the abbey of Newcastle, my Highlanders
will believe there is a million concealed beneath every
slab, and they will not leave stone upon stone in the
building."