It came not to the mind of either that this expedition would be made at cost to themselves. They had not heard of Don Quixote, and their gifts were not imitative. They were of a day when men held their lives as lightly as many men hold their honor now, when championship was as the breath of life to men’s nostrils, and to adventure for what was worth having or doing in life the only road of reputation. Buonespoir was as much a champion in his ways as Lemprière of Rozel. They were of like kidney, though so far apart in rank. Had Lemprière been born as low and as poor as Buonespoir, he would have been a pirate, too, no doubt; and had Buonespoir been born as high as the seigneur, he would have carried himself with the same rough sense of honor, with as ripe a vanity, have been as naïve, as sincere, as true to the real heart of man untaught in the dissimulation of modesty or reserve. When they shook hands across the trencher of spiced veal, it was as man shakes hand with man, not man with master. They were about to start upon their journey when there came a knocking at the door. On its being opened the bald and toothless Abednego stumbled in with the word that immediately after Angèle and her father came aboard the _Honeyflower_ some fifty halberdiers suddenly appeared upon the Couperon. They had at once set sail, and got away even before the sailors had reached the shore. As they had rounded the point, where they were hid from view, Abednego dropped overboard and swam ashore on the rising tide, making his way to the manor to warn Buonespoir. On his way hither, stealing through the trees, he had passed a half-score of halberdiers making for the manor, and he had seen others going towards the shore. Buonespoir looked to the priming of his pistols, and, buckling his belt tightly about him, turned to the seigneur and said: “I will take my chances with Abednego. Where does she lie--the _Honeyflower_, Abednego?” “Off the point called Verclut,” answered the little man, who had travelled with Francis Drake. “Good; we will make a run for it, flying dot-and-carry-one as we go.” While they had been speaking the seigneur had been thinking; and now, even as several figures appeared at a little distance in the trees, making towards the manor, he said, with a loud laugh: [Illustration: “BUONESPOIR LOOKED TO THE PRIMING OF HIS PISTOLS”] “No. ’Tis the way of a fool to put his head between the door and the jamb. ’Tis but a hundred yards to safety. Follow me--to the sea--Abednego last. This way, bullies!” Without a word all three left the house and walked on in the order indicated, as De Carteret’s halberdiers ran forward threatening. “Stand!” shouted the sergeant of the halberdiers. “Stand, or we fire!” But the three walked straight on unheeding. When the sergeant of the men-at-arms recognized the seigneur he ordered down the blunderbusses. “We come for Buonespoir the pirate,” said the sergeant.