"I think so too."
"In that case, farewell! When I want you, I will let you know."
"Are you going already?"
"What the deuce would you have me do longer in this owl's nest? It is time for each of us to rejoin the persons waiting for us."
And after giving the Major a slight wave of the hand, he turned away and disappeared behind the ruins of the high altar.
At the same moment the stranger was suddenly seized by several men, so that not only was he unable to offer a useless resistance, but found himself bound and gagged before he had recovered from the surprise this attack had caused him.
His silent aggressors then left him rolling on the ground with convulsive bounds of impotent rage, and disappeared in the darkness without paying any further attention to him.
The Major, after a momentary hesitation, also resolved to leave the place, and slowly proceeded in the direction of the shore. On arriving within a certain distance, in obedience to skipper Nicaud's hint, he cocked his pistol and flashed the powder in the pan; then he continued to advance slowly.
The boat had doubtless made haste to meet him, for at the same moment as the Major reached the shore, its bows ran into the sand.
The governor stepped silently into it; twenty minutes after he found himself on board the lugger, where master Nicaud received him respectfully cap in hand.