masterful way.

She was tying the sling behind my neck when my grandfather and George Hamon
came in together.

Uncle George gave me very hearty greeting, and they complimented Aunt
Jeanne on her handiwork, and then asked her advice, and all the while I was
in fear lest some incautious word from one or the other should weight
Carette's heart with over-sudden news of her brother's death.

"Jeanne Falla, we want your views," said my grandfather. "It is in my mind
that Torode will come back for these two. Phil holds his life in his hand.
What others know is hearsay, but Phil can swear to it. I cannot believe he
will rest while Phil lives. He can bring sixty or eighty ruffians down on
us, and I doubt if we can put thirty against them. What does your wit
suggest?"

"Ma fé!" said Aunt Jeanne, "you are right. Torode will be after them, and
they are not safe here. Can you not get them over to Peter Port, or to
Jersey?"

"They are watching the ways," I said, for I was loth to start on any fresh
voyaging now that Carette and home were to my hand. "Their boats were out
all night on the look-out."

"We might get through one way or another, if we started at once," said my
grandfather, looking doubtfully at me.

"I can't do another thing till I've had some rest," I said. "It is so long
since I slept that I cannot remember when it was;" and indeed, what with