Putting into practice the theory he announced, Pitou disarmed the sham patriot, and breaking the sword, tossed the hilt afar.
"A thief? I, Captain de Beausire, a thief?" thundered the conqueror in the red cap.
"Search Captain Beausire with the de," said Pitou, pushing the card-sharper into the midst of his men.
"Well, go ahead with your search," replied the victim of suspicion, meekly dropping his arms.
They had not needed his permission to proceed with the ferreting; but to the great astonishment of Pitou, and especially of Maillard, all their searching was in vain. Whether they turned the pockets inside out, or examined the hems and linings, all they found on the ex-corporal was a pack of playing-cards so old that the faces were hardly to be told from the backs, as well as the sum of eleven cents.
Pitou looked at Maillard, who shrugged his shoulders as much as to say, "I have missed it somehow, but I do not know what I can do about it now."
"Go through him again," said Pitou, one of whose principal traits was patience.
They tried it again, but the second search was as unfruitful as the former; they only found the same pack of cards and eleven cents.
"Well," taunted Beausire, triumphantly, "is a sword still disgraced by having been handled by me?"