We set off, a strange company indeed.  One of the deserters led the way; behind him went the cart containing the French captain and his men, now passing as deserters, and all gagged; then came seven of my comrades with their hands tied, the other two deserters marching one on each side of them; and the rear was brought up by the bosun, Joe and myself, and the two men being attired as French soldiers and having their heads bandaged, their supposed wounds being sufficient to account for their silence if they were addressed.

Having plenty of time before us, we chose devious and little frequented roads, the deserters who led us being fortunately familiar with the district.  We avoided the villages when we could, but towards evening came to a hamlet which it was impossible to shun, since only through it could we gain a ford at a stream that crossed our route.

The appearance of a party of soldiers aroused great interest among the villagers.  They came about us, asking who we were and whither we were going.  They were greatly excited when they learned that we were escorting deserters and recaptured English prisoners.  The real deserters told a glib story of the furious fight they had had with the villains (pointing to the unhappy officer and his men).  The villagers threw up their hands with shrill exclamations at this moving recital, and, going up to the cart, gazen open-mouthed and not without a secret sympathy at the prostrate forms.

Then they asked why the deserters were gagged.  At this I took up the tale, explaining that they were desperate characters, and had used such terrible language against his sacred majesty the king that, as a loyal officer, I had sworn they should not speak again until they were safely jailed in St. Malo.  The captain’s face was distorted with rage as he listened to this libel:  he flung his manacled hands about and made frantic efforts to speak, which Joe’s gag was too thoroughly fixed to allow.

“Voila!” said I, with a dramatic gesture; and the simple villagers, taking the officer’s writhings and gnashings as so much evidence of his desperate wickedness, poured imprecations upon him for his impiety, and declared that no punishment was too great for him.  The poor people had, I daresay, no great reason themselves for loving their monarch, but they were anxious that their own loyalty should be above suspicion.

About the English prisoners they expressed their sentiments without disguise.  The English were their natural enemies, and they hurled such abuse at my comrades that I felt some anxiety lest these should cast off their cords (which were by no means closely tied) and take summary vengeance on their revilers.  Fortunately their patience endured the strain, being aided by their ignorance of the precise meaning of the opprobrious terms applied to them.