He took a small sack that was fastened across his saddle-bow, from holster to holster, and at Zinzara's suggestion emptied it into her dress which she held up with both hands. Poor, poor Blanchet! there was only a handful of grain. "Wait for me; I'll go to find the boat." Renaud disappeared in the darkness behind the reeds and willows that grew along the bank, drowned in the mist, floating like pallid spectres in the darkness. Zinzara heard nothing save the plashing of the water, and the crunching of the oats between Blanchet's teeth, as he swept them up with his long lip from the hollow of the dress.--Oh! if Livette could have seen that! "Here I am, come!" said Renaud's voice. He approached, raising the oars. She walked to the water's edge. "Hold the reins fast. The horse will follow us." She stepped into the boat and stood in the stern. Blanchet followed, in the wake. Renaud knew the current at that spot. He rowed diagonally across and reached the other shore more than a hundred yards farther down. He tied the boat to the trunk of a willow and tightened the girths, and they were off again. It was necessary to ascend the stream a long distance to find a place to ford the canal that runs from Arles to Port-le-Bouc. When they had crossed the canal, he said: "We are almost there." They had ridden nearly five hours. His desires were approaching fruition. He was seized with the impatience that comes with the last half-hour. He had a vision of what was to come. "It is in the _gargate_," he said. And he explained: "The _gargate_ is like thickened water. It is about the same as mud. The cabin we are going to is in the midst of one of these patches of mud. Ah! we shall be well protected there, gitana, I promise you. A man once lived there for a long while; a conscript who wanted to evade the draft. And later, an escaped convict, a native of the neighborhood, who knew about the place. No one could dislodge him there. Others know the spot; but never fear, I have a way to fool them. Trust me, gitana, we shall be well guarded there, by death hidden in the water around us!" They reached their destination. Renaud tied his horse to a tree, and took Zinzara's hand. "Follow me," he said. The moon was rising. With the end of a stick, he pointed out to her, just above the surface of the water, the heads of the stakes, looming black among the stalks of thorn-broom and reeds and the broad, spreading leaves of the water-lily. "Always step to the left of the stakes," he said; "they mark the right-hand edge of the solid path just below the surface of the water." Renaud had taken off his shoes and stockings. She lifted her skirts and walked with bare legs, and he held her hand. They walked thus for some time. Her interest was aroused by her surroundings. The place pleased her. The water was disturbed a little here and there. She stopped and watched. "Turtles," said he; and added: "Here is the cabin."