"It is our scout," replied the Vendéen chief; "he is asking in his own fashion if the way is clear. Listen, and you will hear the reply." At these words, he stretched out his hand, and put it on M. Berryer's arm to make him pull his horse up. A second cry then went up, coming from a greater distance off; it seemed like the echo of the first, so like was it.
"We can go forward, the road is free," replied the chief, putting his horse to the spur.
"Then we are preceded by a scout?"
"Yes, we have one man two hundred yards ahead of us and another the same distance behind."
"But who are the people who answer?"
"The peasants whose cottages lie along the road. Pay attention when you pass by one of them, and you will see a little dormer-window open and a man's head slip out, stay motionless for an instant as if he were a stone, and only disappear when we are out of sight. If we were soldiers from some neighbouring cantonment, the man who will only look at us as we pass would immediately come out by a back door; then, if there were any gathering in the district, he would soon warn it of the approach of the column which believed it was about to take it by surprise."
At this moment, the Vendéen chief interrupted himself.
"Listen," he whispered, stopping his horse.
"What is it?" said M. Berryer. "I only heard the usual cry of our scout."
"Yes, but no other cry has replied to it; there are soldiers in the neighbourhood."