"If you believe that, you ought to be a very happy man," she retorted, and her smile softened almost imperceptibly as she said it. "You don't look quite as happy as you ought to, Jean!"
"Don't make me wait for my second voyage! Let me take you away from this unhappy country. Come with me—come with me now!"
He spoke swiftly, his voice thick with the sudden outburst of passion long held in check; and he strode forward to catch her in his arms.
Instantaneous as a darting bird, or a flash of light on a wave, she was up from her resting-place and away behind the pile of grass and ferns.
"Stay there!" she commanded, "or I'll go home at once!" And Jean stayed.
She laughed at him gayly, mercilessly.
"Would you have me take you on trust, Jean?" she questioned, with her head on one side. "How do I know that you are going to be brave enough to fight the English, or clever enough to outwit them? How do I know you will really do the great things I'm expecting of you? I know your dreams are fine, Boy; but you must show me deeds."
"I will," he answered quietly. "Come here, Sweet, just for one minute!"
"No," she said with a very positive shake of her small head. "You must go on with your work. You have more to do yet than you realize. And I've something to do, too. I must go home at once."
"That's not fair, Barbe!" he pleaded.