I did hear; but I was so very sleepy that I could not recollect enough French to answer him. While he continued talking to madame, I dropped off asleep in my chair, and for long in my dreams I heard the buzz of their voices. When I was at last awoke, by feeling a hand placed on my shoulder, the smuggling captain was gone. "Come," said the good-natured woman; "you want rest, my boy;" and taking a candle, she led me into a neat little room with a comfortable bed in it, where I very soon forgot myself in slumber. The next morning, when I turned out, I found that I was an occupant of a comfortable farm-house, with a garden attached, full of fruit-trees and vegetables. An old man and his wife made their appearance, and I discovered that the young woman who had received us the previous night was their daughter. While we were at breakfast, I heard the old couple complaining of Captain Didot for having brought me there. They evidently fancied that I did not understand French. "He will be getting us into trouble with his tricks, one of these days," remarked the old lady. "Ah! Madeleine, my daughter, it would be much wiser in you to have nothing more to say to him." Mademoiselle looked very glum, as if she did not like the counsel. I pretended to be deeply absorbed, discussing the fresh eggs and other eatables placed before me. "Ha, ha!" thought I to myself; "I see how the wind blows. They will not dare, then, to keep me a prisoner longer than I like to stay. Well, I'm very comfortable here at present; so I will spend a day or so with the good people." I saw that I was narrowly watched wherever I went; but I did not forget the French skipper's advice to take advantage of the fine fruit with which the garden abounded. When Madeleine saw that I was apparently contented, we became very good friends; and I must own that I spent the day not unpleasantly. I began, however, to reflect that I had no business to remain where I was if I had the power of getting away; so I turned in my mind how I could best make my escape. I guessed that to do so would not be quite so easy as at first appeared; for I had observed a labourer continually near me, and I remarked that whenever I went to a distant part of the garden his occupation invariably took him in the same direction.