This had made him anxious to show kindness to the young English lads.
“Come along,” said Pierre, as they reached the shore. “I show you my house, my mère, and my soeur. They take care of you; but mind! you not go out till dey tell you, or de gendarmes take you to prison perhaps. Do not speak now till we get into de house.”
Bill and Jack followed their guide while the old man rowed back to the vessel.
Pierre led them to a cottage a little distance from the shore, which appeared to be somewhat larger than those they had passed. He opened the door, telling them to come in with him, when he immediately again closed it.
A middle-aged woman and a young girl, in high white caps with flaps over the shoulders, were seated spinning. They started up on seeing the two young strangers, and began inquiring of Pierre who they were. His explanation soon satisfied them, and jumping up, Madame Turgot and Jeannette took their hands, and began pouring out in voluble language their welcomes.
“You say ‘Merci! merci!’” said Pierre, “which means ‘Thank you! thank you!’”
“Merci! merci!” said Jack and Bill.
It was the first word of French they learned, and, as Jack observed, came in very convenient.
What the mother and her daughter said they could not make out, but they understood well enough that the French women intended to be kind.
“You hungry?” asked Pierre.