They shook hands; and as, while conversing, they had left the shed, they went different roads, after a parting bow. The filibuster, followed by the engagé, proceeded slowly towards his house. At the moment when he left the town, a man placed himself before him, and bowed. "What do you want with me?" the adventurer asked, giving him a scrutinizing glance. "To say a word to you." "Say on." "Are you Captain Montbarts?" "You must be a stranger, to ask that question." "No matter. Answer." "I am Captain Montbarts." "In that case, this letter is for you." "A letter for me!" he exclaimed, in surprise. "Here it is," the stranger said, as he presented it. "Give it to me." And he took it from him. "Now my commission is performed, farewell." "A word, in your turn." "Speak." "From whom comes this letter?" "I do not know; but you will probably learn by reading the contents." "That is true." "Then I may retire?" "Nothing prevents you." The stranger bowed, and went away. Montbarts opened the letter, hurriedly perused it, and turned pale. Then he re-read it; but this time slowly, and as if he wished to dwell on each sentence. A moment later he seemed to form a resolution, and turned to his engagé, who was standing a few paces from him. "Come here," he said to him. "Here I am," said the other. "You are a sailor?" "A 1, I fancy." "That is well. Follow me." The filibuster turned back, hastily re-entered the town, and proceeded toward the sea. He seemed to be seeking something. A moment later, his gloomy face grew brighter. He had just seen a light canoe pulled up on the beach. "Help me to float this canoe," he said to the engagé. The latter obeyed. So soon as the canoe was afloat, Montbarts leaped in, closely followed by his engagé; and seizing the paddles, they put off from the shore. "Step the mast, so that we may hoist a sail so soon as we are free of the ships." The Olonnais, without answering, did as he was ordered. "Good!" Montbarts continued. "Now haul the sheets aft, and hand them to me, my lad." In a second the sail was hoisted, set, and the light canoe bounded like a petrel over the crest of the waves. They ran thus for some time without exchanging a word. They had left the ships far behind them, and passed out of the roads. "Do you speak Spanish?" Montbarts suddenly asked the engagé. "Like a native of Old Castile," the other answered. "Ah! Ah!" said Montbarts. "It is easy to understand," the Olonnais continued. "I went whaling with the Basques and Bayonnese, and for several years smuggled along the Spanish coast." "And do you like the Spaniards?" "No!" the other answered, with a frown. "You have a motive, of course?" "I have one." "Will you tell it me?" "Why not?" "Out with it, then."