The little troop halted, the sergeant walked up to the sentinel, and said a few words to him.
"To arms!" cried the sentinel.
Immediately a score of men, who composed the picket, issued from a guard-house, and hastily drew up in line in front of the gateway.
"Come, monsieur," said the sergeant to Canolles. The drum began to beat.
"What does this mean?" said the young man to himself.
He walked toward the fort, quite at a loss to understand what was going on; for all these preparations resembled military honors paid to a superior much more than precautionary measures concerning a prisoner.
Nor was this all. Canolles did not notice that, just as he stepped from the carriage, a window in the governor's apartments was thrown open, and an officer stationed thereat watched attentively the movements of the boat and the reception given to the prisoner and his two keepers.
This officer, when Canolles stepped from the boat upon the island, hastily left the window, and hurried down to meet him.
"Aha!" said Canolles, as his eye fell upon him, "here comes the commandant to inspect his new boarder."
"I should say, monsieur," said Barrabas, "judging from appearances, that you'll not be left to languish a week in the anteroom like some people; you will be entered on the books at once."