"I wish I had had a hand in it!" spoke Philippe de Ferrier.

"I am taking this boy to America, monsieur the marquis," the painter
quietly answered.

"But why not to one of his royal uncles?"

"His royal uncles," repeated Bellenger. "Pardon, monsieur the marquis,
but did I say he had any royal uncles?"

"Come!" spoke Philippe de Ferrier. "No jokes with us, Bellenger. Honest
men of every degree should stand together in these times."

Eagle sat down on a flat gravestone, and looked at the boy who seemed to
be an object of dispute between the men of her family and the other man.
He neither saw nor heard what passed. She said to herself--

"It would make no difference to me! It is the same, whether he is the
king or not."

Bellenger's eyes half closed their lids as if for protection from the
sun.

"Monsieur de Ferrier may rest assured that I am not at present occupied
with jokes. I will again ask permission to take my charge away."

"You may not go until you have answered some questions."

"That I will do as far as I am permitted."