And so this convoy passing along the quay excited our suspicion. They pressed on like thieves, and I said to the sailors: "Let us follow them!" Seeing our intention the men dropped their burden, which fell heavily to the ground, and made off as fast as their legs would carry them. And the burden was Kermadec. While we were occupied in picking him up and establishing his identity, the others had made good their escape and were now locked in the tavern. The sailors wanted to batter in the doors, to take the place by assault, but that would have led to diplomatic complications with Uruguay. Besides, Yves was saved, and that was the essential thing. I brought him back to the ship, wrapt in a cloak and lying on the goatskins which contained our provision of fresh water. And to have rendered him this service increased my attachment to him. The second time was when we were at Pernambuco. I had given a promissory note to some Portuguese in a gambling den. The next day I had to find the money, and as I had none, and as my friends had none either, I was in a difficulty. Yves took the situation very tragically, and at once offered me the money of his own which he had entrusted to my care, and which I kept in a drawer of my desk. "It would give me much pleasure. Captain, if you would take it! I have no further need to go ashore and, as you know well, it would be better for me if I could not go." "Yves, my good fellow, I would accept your money gladly for a few days, since you wish to lend it me; but, you know, it is short of what I want by a hundred francs. So you see it's hardly worth while." "Another hundred francs? I think I have that below in my kit-bag." And he went away, leaving me very much astonished. That he should have another hundred francs in his kit-bag seemed very unlikely. He was a long time in returning. He had not found them. I had anticipated that. At length he reappeared. "Here you are!" he said, handing me his poor sailor's purse, with a happy smile. Then a doubt came to me and, to resolve it, I said to him: "Yves, lend me your watch, too, like a good fellow; I left mine in pledge." He was very confused, and said it was broken. I had guessed right: to get these hundred francs he had just sold it with the chain, for half its value, to a petty officer on board. And so Yves knew that he could call on me in any circumstances. And when Barrada came for me on his behalf, I went down to him where he lay, in irons, in the hold. But this time, by striking this old warrant officer, he had got himself in a very serious position; my intercession for him was in vain, and his punishment was heavy. Four months afterwards he had to put to sea again without having seen his mother. When we were on the point of embarking together on the _Sibylle_ for a voyage round the world in three hundred days, I took him on a Sunday to Saint Pol-de-Léon, in order to console him.