blood had left.

I thanked the neighbours for coming so promptly to my help, and as we stood
for a moment at the road leading to Dos d'Ane, where Abraham Guille would
break off to get back to his work, my grandfather stopped them.

"Phil brings us strange and monstrous news," he said weightily. "It is well
you should know, for we may need your neighbourly help again. John Ozanne's
ship was sunk by the French, privateer, _Main Rouge_, and John Ozanne
himself and such of his men as tried to save themselves were shot in the
water as they swam for their lives, and that was cold-blooded murder. Phil
here saw what was toward and saved his life by floating under a spar and
sail. And this Main Rouge who did this thing is Torode of Herm--"

At which they broke into exclamations of astonishment. "He fought under
both flags. No wonder he waxed so fat! He knows that Phil has his secret. I
fear he will give us no rest, and it is well the matter should be known to
others in case--you understand."

"He is preparing to leave Herm," I said. "They were loading the schooner
all night long. I ought to have gone across to Peter Port to lay my
information before them there, but, you understand, Carette was more
important to me. But surely Sercq need fear nothing from Herm," I said,
looking round on them.

"Ah, you don't know," said my grandfather. "We are but few here just now.
So many are away--to the wars and the free-trading. How many men does
Torode carry?"

"With those on Herm, sixty to eighty, I should say."