"We shall meet again soon," Montbarts answered, and they separated. Montbarts threw a thick cloak over his shoulders, put on a broad brimmed hat, whose brim fell over his face, and concealed his features, and then turning to Michael, said: "Mate, an important matter obliges me to go to Basse Terre; you will go to our governor, the Chevalier de Fontenay, and without entering into any details, and being very careful not to betray our secret, you will simply warn him that I am preparing a fresh expedition." "Very good, mate, I will go," Michael answered. "You will then examine the lugger, and occupy yourself with Bowline, in getting her ready to put to sea." After giving these instructions to the two sailors, Montbarts left the house, and descended the cliff. The Chevalier de Fontenay, like M. d'Esnambuc, whom he had succeeded two years before as governor of St. Kitts, was a cadet of Normandy, who had come to the isles to try his fortune, and before becoming governor had joined in many buccaneering expeditions. He was exactly the man they wanted; he left them at liberty to act as they pleased, never asked them for any accounts, understood at half a word, and contented himself with raising a tithe on the prizes--a voluntary tribute which the adventurers paid him in return for the protection he was supposed to give them in the king's name by legitimating their position. The sun had risen, a fresh sea breeze caused the leaves to rustle, and the birds were singing on the branches. Montbarts walked on hurriedly, looking neither to the right nor left, and apparently plunged in deep thought. On reaching the entrance of the village of Basse Terre, instead of entering it, he skirted it, and going along a narrow path that crossed a tobacco plantation, he went toward the interior of the island, proceeding in the direction of Mount Misery, whose rise was already perceptible beneath his feet. After a very long walk, the filibuster at length stopped at the entrance of a dry gorge, on one of the slopes of which stood a wretched hut of tree trunks, poorly covered with palm leaves. A man was standing in the doorway of this cabin: on perceiving Montbarts he uttered a cry of joy and rushed toward him, running over the rocks with the rapidity and lightness of a deer. This man was Omopoua, the Carib; on coming up to the filibuster, he fell on his knees. "Rise," the adventurer said to him, "what have you to thank me for?" "My master told me an hour ago that I no longer belonged to him, but to you." "Well, did I not promise it to you?" "That is true, but the white men always promise, and never keep their word." "You see a proof of the contrary; come, get up, your master has sold you to me, it is true, but I give you your liberty; you have now but one master, God."