"By the way," said Germain, when they had ridden on a short distance, "what will they think at home when this little man doesn't appear? The old people will be anxious, and they will scour the country for him." "You can tell the man working on the road yonder that you have taken him with you, and send him back to tell your people." "True, Marie, you think of everything! It didn't even occur to me that Jeannie would be in this neighborhood." "He lives close to the farm, too: he won't fail to do your errand." When they had taken that precaution, Germain started the mare off at a trot, and Petit Pierre was so overjoyed that he did not notice at first that he had not dined; but as the rapid movement of the horse dug a pit in his stomach, he began, after a league or more, to yawn and turn pale, and at last confessed that he was dying of hunger. "Now he's beginning," said Germain. "I knew that we shouldn't go far before monsieur would cry from hunger or thirst." "I'm thirsty, too!" said Petit-Pierre. "Well, we will go to Mère Rebec's wine-shop at Corlay, at the sign of the _Break of Day_. A fine sign, but a poor inn! Come, Marie, you will drink a finger of wine too." "No, no, I don't need anything," she said, "I'll hold the mare while you go in with the little one." "But now I think of it, my dear girl, you gave the bread you had for your luncheon to my Pierre, and you haven't had anything to eat; you refused to dine with us at the house, and did nothing but weep." "Oh! I wasn't hungry, I was too sad! and I promise you that I haven't the slightest desire to eat now." "We must force you to, little one; otherwise you'll be sick. We have a long way to go, and we mustn't arrive there half-starved, and ask for bread before we say good-day. I propose to set you the example, although I'm not very hungry; but I shall make out to eat, considering that I didn't dine very well, either. I saw you and your mother weeping, and it made my heart sick. Come, come, I will tie Grise at the door; get down, I insist upon it." All three entered Mere Rebec's establishment, and in less than a quarter of an hour the stout, limping hostess succeeded in serving them an omelet of respectable appearance with brown-bread and light wine.