“With all my heart,” said he, laughing.  “And now what would you have me do?”

“Put us on the track of our comrades, and prevent us from falling into the Duke’s hands.”

“That is,” said he, “to return good for evil.  Well, ’tis something of a novelty for me.”

“You should practise it more frequently,” I laughed, and with that we rode on, our prisoner being in the middle.

I hardly thought he would venture his life by misleading us of set purpose, yet for all that I rode cautiously, keeping my eyes open for any sign of the enemy.  But either by good luck or our prisoner’s skilful guidance—­and it matters little which—­we entirely avoided the Royalist army, and came up with our own troops just as they had halted for a short rest.

Being instantly challenged, I gave my name to the officer, and asked where the Admiral was to be found.

“I will take you to him,” said he, and he led us through the camp, walking by the horse’s side.

Coligny was eating his frugal meal, but he glanced up at our approach, and the officer said, “Edmond Le Blanc, general, who claims to belong to your household.”

“Le Blanc!” echoed the Admiral, knitting his brows—­he had doubtless forgotten me—­“ah, of course; you have been absent from duty a long time.”

“I had the misfortune to be left behind at Roche Abeille, my lord.”

“Ah, I remember.  You are Bellievre’s comrade, and you carried my message to De Courcy.  So you have recovered?”

“Yes, my lord; but I have something important to say.  I have had the good luck to capture a messenger carrying a despatch from the Duke of Montpensier to Monseigneur.”

“To Monseigneur!” and, turning to my prisoner, he said, “Is he not with the troops who attacked us?”

“I do not know the customs of your gentlemen, my lord,” he replied, with a low bow, “but it is not our practice to betray secrets to an enemy.”

“A proper answer,” said the Admiral, with more slowness of speech even than usual, “and a just reproof.  But this paper should tell what I wish to learn,” and he broke the seal.

“Montpensier’s division alone,” he muttered; “this is valuable information.  Le Blanc, can we be sure of this?”

“It is certain, my lord, that Monseigneur’s troops are not present, though I believe they are hurrying to join with the Duke’s.”

“There will be just time,” he said, “just time,” and, leaving his meal, he instantly summoned his principal officers.

As soon as my interview with him was over a dozen of my old comrades crowded around, congratulating me on my recovery, and asking all sorts of questions.  Several familiar faces were missing, and I learned that more than one of my intimate friends had been left behind in the trenches at Poictiers.  Felix, happily, was unhurt, and he informed me that Roger Braund was still with the little troop of Englishmen.