“Oh, Monsieur Zhone,” lamented Madame Saucier, “how can you laugh?  We are all ruined.”

“No, madame.  There is no such word as ‘ruin’ in the Territory.”

“And I must take my two little children, and leave Angelique here in the midst of this water.”

Rice had directly knelt down by his sister and put his hand on her forehead.  Maria was quite still, and evidently gathering her little strength together.

“But why do you remain?” said Rice to Angelique.  She was at Maria’s opposite side, and she merely indicated the presence behind the screens; but Peggy explained aloud,—­

“She can’t go because tante-gra’mere won’t be moved.”

“Put that limb of a Morrison girl out of the house,” came an unexpected mandate from amongst the screens.

“I would gladly put her out,” said Captain Saucier anxiously.  “Peggy, my child, now that Mademoiselle Zhone is with Angelique, be persuaded to go with madame and the children.”

Peggy shook her head, laughing.  A keen new delight in delay and danger made her sparkle.

“Go yourself, Captain Saucier.  One gentleman is enough to take care of us.”

“I think you ought to go, Captain Saucier,” said Rice.  “You will be needed.  The boat may be swamped by some of those large waves.  I am ashamed of leaving my stepmother behind; but she would not leave my father, and Maria clung to me.  We dared not fill the boat too full.”

Angelique ran and kissed the children before her father put them into the boat, and offered her cheeks to her mother.  Madame Saucier was a fat woman.  She clung appalled to her husband, as he let her over the slippery roof.  Two slave men braced themselves and held the ropes which steadied him, the whites of their eyes showing.  Their mistress was landed with a plunge, but steadied on her seat by Colonel Menard.

“Oh,” she cried out, “I have left the house without saying adieu to tante-gra’mere.  My mind is distracted.  She will as long as she lives remember this discourtesy.”

“It could be easily remedied, madame,” suggested Colonel Menard, panting as he braced his oar, “if she would step into the boat herself, as we all wish her to do.”

“Oh, monsieur the colonel, you are the best of men.  If you had only had the training of her instead of my poor gentle Francis, she might not be so hard to manage now.”

“We must not flatter ourselves, madame.  But Mademoiselle Angelique must not remain here much longer for anybody’s whim.”

“Do you think the water is rising?”

“It is certainly rising.”

Madame Saucier uttered a shriek as a great swell rolled the boat.  The searching wind penetrated all her garments and blew back loose ends of her hair.  There was now a partially clear sky, and the moon sent forth a little lustre as a hint of what she might do when she had entirely freed herself from clouds.

The children were lowered, and after them their black nurse.