It certainly was the spot agreed upon, and he returned upon his steps. The vessel must be within sight where he had first stopped; but even so, he could not explain to himself Joseph Picaut's absence.
An idea came to him. Had the enormous sum promised to whoever would deliver up the person passing under the name of Petit-Pierre tempted the Chouan, whose cast of countenance had not impressed him favorably? He communicated his suspicions to Petit-Pierre and Mary, who now joined him.
But Petit-Pierre shook her head.
"It is not possible," she said. "If that man had betrayed us we should have been arrested before now; besides, that doesn't explain the absence of the vessel."
"You are right. The captain was to send a boat ashore, and I don't see it."
"Perhaps it is not yet time."
Just then the church clock at Pèlerin struck two, as though it was ordered to make answer to her words.
"There!" said Michel, "it is two o'clock!"
"Was there any fixed hour with the captain?"
"My mother could only act on probabilities, and she told him it might be as late as five o'clock."