"Montfaucon."
"Yes."
"Good heavens! What has become of him?"
"They've carried him off."
"Who?"
"Two men—two men who came in and asked for a drink. The little boy was playing near us. The others must have been amusing themselves at the bottom of the orchards behind the barns. We couldn't hear them. And then of a sudden one of the men, with whom I was drinking a glass of wine, seized me by the throat while the second caught hold of the little boy.
"'Not a word,' said they. 'If you speak, we'll squeeze your throttle. Where are the other nippers?'
"It occurred to me to say that they were down on the beach fishing among the rocks.
"'It's true, that, is it, old 'un?' said they. 'If you're lying, you're taking a great risk. Swear it.'
"'I swear it.'