The two children, holding their breath, listened with anxiety. "Now they return," said Francois, in a low tone, "I hear them walking in the corridor." "Let us jump into bed; mother would kill us if she found us up," said Amandine. "No!" answered Francois, still listening: "they have just passed our door; they are running downstairs; now they open the kitchen door." "You think so?" "Yes, yes; I know the noise it makes." "Martial's dog keeps on howling," said Amandine; then suddenly she cried, "Francois, brother calls us." "Martial?" "Yes, don't you hear him?" And, notwithstanding the thickness of the two closed doors, the stentorian voice of Martial, calling to the children, could be heard. "We cannot go to him--we are locked up," said Amandine: "they wish to do him some harm, for he calls to us." "Oh, if I could," cried Francois, resolutely, "I would prevent them, if they were to cut me to pieces! But brother does not know that we are locked up; he will think that we will not help him." "Call to him, Francois, that we are shut up." He was about to follow the advice of his sister, when a violent blow shook the blind on the outside of the little window of their room. "They are coming that way to kill us!" cried Amandine, and, in her fright, she threw herself on the bed, and covered her face with her hands. Francois remained immovable, although he partook of the alarm of his sister. Yet, after the violent blow of which we have spoken, the blind was not opened; the most profound silence reigned throughout the house. Martial had ceased to call the children. Somewhat recovered and excited by deep curiosity, Francois ventured to half open the window, and tried to see without through the slats of the blinds. "Take care, brother," whispered Amandine, who, hearing Francois open the window had partly raised herself up. "Do you see anything?" "No; the night is too dark." "Do you hear nothing?" "No; the wind blows too hard." "Come back, come back then!" "Ah! now I see something." "What?" "The light of a lantern; it comes and goes." "Who carries it?" "I only see the light." "Oh! now it comes nearer; some one speaks." "Who is that?" "Listen, listen! it is Calabash." "What does she say?" "She tells them to hold the foot of the ladder steady." "Oh! do you see, it was in taking away the long ladder which was against our window that they made such a noise just now." "I hear nothing more." "What are they doing with the ladder now?" "I can't see anything more." "Do you hear nothing?" "No." "Oh, Francois, it is, perhaps, to get into brother Martial's room by the window that they have taken the ladder?" "That may be." "If you would open the shutter a little to see--" "I dare not." "Only a little." "Oh! no, no. If mother should see it--" "It is so dark there is no danger." Francois, yielding to the entreaties of his sister, opened the blinds and looked out.