"And look! everybody here sees them as well as ourselves: look, the women and children are beginning to get upon the jetty."
An old fisherman passed. "Are those our barks, yonder?" asked Aramis.
The old man looked steadily into the horizon.
"No, monseigneur," he replied, "they are lighter boats in the king's service."
"Boats in the royal service?" replied Aramis, starting. "How do you know that?" said he.
"By the flag."
"But," said Porthos, "the boat is scarcely visible; how the devil, my friend, can you distinguish the flag?"
"I see there is one," replied the old man; "our boats, or trade lighters, do not carry any. That sort of craft is generally used for the transport of troops."
"Ah!" said Aramis.
"Vivat!" cried Porthos, "they are sending us re-enforcements, don't you think they are, Aramis?"