Jacques and one or two of the men had gone into the town to call at the post-office and make some necessary purchases, and the rest of the troupe were employed about the camp in various ways.
It was one of those mild mornings in March which come sometimes, closely following a storm of wind and rain, and which give, in their balmy freshness and sweetness, promise of the yet fairer time at hand.
Light-hearted as the birds, the boys were chattering over their work, breaking out, now and again, into some fragment of English song, when a voice behind them said, "Bon jour, mine cheeldren! So I you have found at de last, you were naughty boys. Oh unkind and tankless to run yourselves away from de good, kind master, from dis poor old Renard dat did lofe you so moche!"
The boys started and turned. Tad, in his horror, almost tumbled the ancient fowl—now partially denuded of his scant feathers—into the fire, and Phil overturned the big basin of water into which he was putting his peeled vegetables.
"Ah, mine leetle dears!" went on Renard with his evil, sneering smile. "You am agitate. It is widout doubt from de joy to see once more you dear old master. Ah, truly yes. Well now we am discover one anoder, you shall bote come back to me, and all weel be as before, but steel better. Oh yes, believe me, mine dears, so moche better."
The lads, paralysed with terror, still said nothing, and just at that moment, up came old Sophie and Pelagie to see if the provisions in hand were ready yet for the big pot which they had filled at the brook. As Sophie approached, Tad made a spring, and falling on his knees before her, caught her gown.
"Oh dear mother, good mother Sophie, here is this dreadful man!" he cried. "It is he—our master of whom we told you! Give us not up to him! For God's sake suffer him not to take us away with him!"
Phil said nothing, but he too had come near, and with pleading eyes fixed on the old woman's face, awaited her answer.
She put a motherly hand upon each of the boys, and turning to Renard said:
"Surely, monsieur, I have seen you before! Did you not come to us some nights ago, on the other side of St. Malo?"