| Show UNDER FALSE COLORS under the lee ice of cape cris nez two vessels were hoe boic to within fifty yards of each other boats were coming and going be between teen them and on the ilie quarter deck of the larger vessel seven do de ejected looking english sailors wore vere drawn drain up till under a glaid of marines floru the lie maintops main tops of both haunted flaunted the tricolor of france with this ominous difference that on oil the smaller vessel it surmounted the lie union jack of rn ril gland the brigantine firefly was in tile the ila hands ads of the lie french the lumbering old boiter co ister iter bound from london to all chester harbor with wilh a genral cargo hall had bren been blown off her course by li v contrary NOD winds to the avi wrong oll 11 side of ill the channel the forty two gun frigate alceste hail pounced upon her and now her skipper jacob dempster was ruefully giving an all account of himself on oil the frigates quarter deck ila iia ay you thit ihal exclaimed tile ilie french captain who min spoke english Ingli sli well your is of oc Bosh aiu in the OW harbor of chichester know you tile lie manor house at boshara Bos Bo liam sharn owned but not inhabited by one squire bullard billiard 1 I ilo do seeing IR as I 1 live within 11 yards barou or of it replied the rugged old mariner sullenly ermin certain C french officers ire are residing there tl e prisoners of ivar on oil parole pi rule the were ii ere alien x he I 1 left for london three weeks hack back captain fournier of the alceste turned and addressed himself with much gesticulation gesti cula t 1011 and excitement to 11 i group of ills officers who stoyil it a few paces in the rear car i the captured skipper fell back ind and spoke with willi ills his companions in ili misfortune there Tl ioro s s something soi in the wind wilid lads the captain has been making kind inquiries about the prisoners at tile the manor house lie ho growled captain fournter Fourn FOUrD ler having finished his consultation again came caine forward 11 II 11 dempster be said my brother the lieutenant camille camalle lourn ler Is iq one ode of the prisoners living at the manor house of kosham lie ile cannot attempt to escape himself because of ills his parole but that makes no reason why I 1 should not release him by force I 1 propose to put a hundred of my inon inen in ili the aire fly which as a ship of Ilo shain will n not of be suspected till too late for prevention and run in and effect my purpose jacob dempster laughed sourly id like to see you try it ho he replied dont you know that cosham bochain lies six miles from the sea lie be stuck on oil a 1 mud bank before done a mile of the creek it Is you who will pilot us its my illy friend lu in return for your liberty lie he said 11 ily men will remain below for concealment while you and ami your crew work the vessel tessel as though in due course returning home what me ine steer a pack of frenchmen up boshara bosham creek to the doors of my native ill see you in ili da davy vy jones locker first A murmur of approval came from the prisoners behind him but fournier a cynical cruel looking man merely smiled 1 I have so far omitted to state the alternative lie said it if neither delther you nor any member of your crew will steer the brigantine brigant lne up the creek I 1 I 1 will hang bang you all at the yard arm w athill live minutes there was a moments lead dead silence and the old skipper turned and raced faced his crew what say you my lads he be asked quietly im for hanging A lip or wo to among ninon the married men twitched as they thought thought of ches IN lies and little ones ow but the answer was unmistakable were with you jacob not quite however as it proved one voice among the Fire flys company was silent and till nil eyes turned on tile the tall blue bluee ea e ed young fellow in ili the center of tile the line hue in amazement was greg applegarth of all men going to turn traitor the french captain whose quick eye had already singled him out as a dissentient put the question point blank you there nie nut not so foolish as these others you will steer the brigantine to cosham Eo Bos sham liam avoiding the NN dithering glance shot at him by old jacob the young man raised his head bead for a second and answered ayes yes ill pilot her up tip the creek if so be as ai bhare my mates lives as well as mine yes certa certainly luly unless they attempt to thwart me inc said lor contemptuously mind ilind this though he be thundered changing to sudden fury if by the net of any one of you my illy plan tails I 1 will nill not only hang bang you all but I 1 will burn every everi house in the village age it la Is a secluded spot tar far from garrisons I 1 see sec by the map and many things would happen before help could arrive having selected of his best yuen men under a proper complement of officers captain fournier sent them aboard the firefly and followed with greg for lie he meant to lead the enterprise lit in person leaving the alceste in char charge e of his first lieutenant As soon ns as the transfer was complete anil and a rendezvous appointed with the frigate tile the french flog was hauled down on oil the firefly and she stood across for the english coast areg oreg applegarth pl was permitted to remain on oil deck but jacob dempster Dempst cr and the rest of its his crew weye were thrust into the bold where they passed their time in cursing their com comrades rides treachery that the traitor should he be greg applegarth was the most astonishing tact fact of all especially to old jacob who was aware of certain tender passages between the stuart smart young sailor and ills his own waya wayward ard daughter Peggy the prisoners of war nar were permitted by the government to rent tile the manor house and live there as they pleased provided they kept to the stipulations of their parole which demanded that they should make no do attempt to escape or go farther than two miles from their dwelling camille fournier bournier the brother of the captain of the alceste had early contrived to scrape an acquaintance with peggy dempster and the vivacious village beauty had been flattered into allowing a warmer flirtation than she had perhaps intended peggy was loaning over lier her fathers garden gate one evening saying goodnight to the french officer i w ho was avas too much engrossed to notice that greg dreg applegarth was vas coming up the road would that my lily captivity could endure forever camille said how shall I 1 ever tear myself from froin your sweet presence mistress peggy when ninon I 1 return to france there is iq a way inay out of tint that dif licul ty you might ask me to come collie too replied the thoughtless girl 1 I 1 will hear bear that in ili mind said camille not suspecting in ili his vanity that the words nords were meant for other e ears I 1 rs t than 1 n 11 11 liis 14 greg applegarth applegit th had referred to this incident only the day before the capture of tile the firefly and had expressed a bitter mired haired of all frenchmen in general and ami of lieutenant camille fournier in particular and now liere here ho he was to Ja jacobs colls a assisting not only the nation but the individual to d defy cry ills his OAN own it country and an to land in an armed force on ell her shores questioned by captain Fourni lour nier or as to ills reasons for not following their example lie replied with a grin that lie he was not 0 o fond of ills his country as to want to lie die for her when there ain was it a plain way out the firefly avis captured on a saturday anti ami it was not till dawn clawn was brea breaking kinz on sund sunday ay that greg wn ans s called on oil to act as pilot when the briza titine was waa roun founding diniz delsea bill As tile vessel was now dow in the fair way ivay tor for portsmouth and british cruisers cruiser swarmed like wasps about the entrance of their nest the lie french seamen lay concealed below except half a dozen dresek sed in garments taken from the I 1 sailors sal lura stock captain four dior alor pistol in hand stood cloe to greg dreg alert for the first sign of treachery before running for ayling II Il island to make the entrance of the crock creek lie he found it necessary to execute several maneuvers which took a good deal of time explaining the necessity of them by the numerous shallows he bad to avold avoid when at length he put the helm up an and stood boldly into the creek on the halt half hood flood the wind siver swerved ved from behind but presently a sharp bend lit in the narrow passage made the sails useless and the boats were anere ordered out to tow the brigantine brg antine emerged from the narrow gut of the winding Nin ding creek into the broader waters at the village ju just t as the bells of bochain church ceased ringing ili for morning bervI service cL the french captain was burning with suppressed excitement where is till manor house where my brother lives he asked as greg gave the wheel a turn and brought the firefly round there yonder back of the church was tile the reply ive fetched you up lip ii i right I lit opposite to it as near as I 1 dire dare llo go best anchor here the french captain gave the necessary orders and at once set t about milk making liis ills dispositions tor for landing hinding liis ills entire force except a sufficient guard for tile prisoners though the landing entailed several journeys in the Fire lIre flys boats it wis was rapidly effected and with mill fournier Fourn ler at its head bead the party started for the manor house under gregs grega guidance only a hundred yards of marshy pasture land lily lay between the creek and tile the moat but tile the young sailor lad led the frenchmen a long slant up the ine meadows ados and back again before finally approaching their goll goal the captain looked at him once or twice suspiciously you dont want your men stuck in the mud said greg and he be pointed convincingly to a quagmire they were passing after half an hours Nan wandering dering to and fro la in the meadows lie he led the party up tip to the bridge over the moat and they entered the grounds of the manor house from the roar real As they filed round to the front a group of men who were sitting under a tree on oil tb the c lawn started on seeing the familiar uniform A minute later captala fournier Fourni or had embraced his brother and explained the situation the prisoners of war were in an ecstasy of delight at the prospect of as one of them facetiously put it being brutally dragged from their parole but on the captain proposing an immediate return to the boats camille waved ids his hand gayly in deprecation walt a brief time my brother he laughed the little god cupid de mands it and we are quite safe eale from I 1 I 1 opposition here there are not twenty able bodied britons in the place most mont st I 1 of them are lu in church and they are all unarmed ali ah all you have been amusing yourself said the captain well hasten badten and say your adicus adieus to the fair one for I 1 am anxious to be gone it Is not a matter of fare farewell we llo n nothing 0 so dismal replied the y younger u n g brother complacently awl twirling aling his mustache the fair one I 1 Is s ready to accompany me whenever I 1 tike take my departure but unfortunately she Is in church anil and likely to remain there for another I 1 hour I 1 h have a re b beard e a rd t that b a t tb the e p i i eat of bos basham bosham h am i Is s a cl cleric e ri c of 1 lone 0 n g w wind ali 1 write the lady a note asking her on sonic some excuse to leave the church church he said 1 I have with me nn an english tallor wai wl shall deliver it camille scribbled a few lines on a leaf in ili his pocket book folded it anti handed it to ills his brother who called greg to him you know this lady by sight lit tip asked pointing to the superscription the young sailors face was as steady as a rock as he answered in the affirms five take it to her in the church then and return yourself immediately it II you do not return I 1 will march my men to the church and ire fire upon the people said lourn ler greg disappeared in the shrubbery which adjoined the church ard pushing open the door he be removed his cap and tiptoed reverently up the nisle aisle toward the chancel where peggy dempster was seated with the choir but without approaching the choir C greg reg ran quickly up the pulpit steps mr gillyflower turned upon him an anari ri ly but on hearing the words which were ivere rapidly whispered in ili liis ear car the vica r looked first startled then shrewdly intelligent ills communication tm fill fahed greg left the church as quickly ns as lie ho had entered with camille four folin kliors lliors note still in his pocket and without once looking tit at reg peggy y on oil the manor bou house lawn where the french seamen made a picturesque group under the file trees gregs return was hailed balled with mill acclimation acclamation by the officers hy by the two Fourn lour lers espo espe c cl chilly 11 illy I 1 IT what lid did she do when you you gave her the lie note asked camille t eagerly i erly she just did nothing was the unconcerned reply Y you in SOP see my lily dear camille Ca she has 1113 chanad her mind said the captain come collie let us its be off out of this thir what matter inetter so long as I 1 gain my purpose retorted the lieutenant brutally no take the others and sall sail away isyou if you please As for me nothing g will move me unless I 1 can take the fal fair mile dempster captain I 1 fournier bit lils his lip but gave lit in at most it only meant waiting unfit the close of the service which could not now be long deferred and in the seclusion of the the manor house grounds the presence of the landing party would lu in tiie the meanwhile remain undetected rut but when the minutes grew into an bourand hour and a half yet no signal was given by the man posted in the shrubbery to watch the lie church door the captain began to furne fume and stamp with rage ile he finally threatened to turu turn the pre rense cense of a forced abduction into a reality and carry camille on board the firefly whether or no if you do that said the lieutenant my first act on reaching france will bo be to demand of you satisfaction at last the elder fourniers Fourn Four lers patience uns exhausted fall in men he said to ills his crew we will put the cloture on oil this loquacious priest and take tile the girl from under ills his nose perhaps that will satisfy you ingrate ln grate turning to camille excellently well replied uie lieutenant and with tile the jaunty quickstep of france the column tramped into the shady churchyard where the sonorous tones of mr gillyflower werl were plainly audible peste upon the fellow muttered cred the captain tell telling lilg off twenty men to accompany him and ills his brother into the church greg who had bad followed closely close y it at his elb elbow ow plucking him by the sleeve said quietly it will be a long time before you set france again captain see there and kill loading leading him to tile the churchyard wall he pointed moc mockingly klugl X at the firefly the brigantine lay high and dry on oil the mud naud at her anchorage and would not float again for ten tell hours at least for a moment the brave lads life trembled lit in the balance then with a bitter oath the captain put up lip his pistol he had drawn if you do the folk no harm be made comfortable I 1 expect said greg with a grin for he had fore foreseen that with retreat cut off fournier would would dare no excesses you see I 1 remember how tile the tide would sere today to day and I 1 timed so as to run you in at church time I 1 know peggy would be there with the choir and that that spark would never move more without trying to take lie her along I 1 allowed that by when the people came callic out tile the vessel wo would ill be hard and fa anit st but it was you I |
