"I think the man is alone," said Petit-Pierre. "Yes; but we must not be the less on our guard," replied the baron. "I shall ask your permission to mount that horse in front of you." "Willingly; but are you already tired?" "No, not at all. Only, I am well known in the neighborhood, and if I were seen on foot leading a horse on which a peasant was riding, as Haman led Mordecai, it might give rise to a good deal of speculation." "Bravo! what you say is very true. I begin to think we shall make something of you in the end." Petit-Pierre jumped to the ground. Michel mounted; and Petit-Pierre placed herself humbly behind him. They were hardly settled in their seats before they came within thirty yards of an individual who was walking in their direction, and whose steps now ceased abruptly. "Oh! oh!" said Petit-Pierre; "it seems that if we are afraid of him, he is afraid of us." "Who's there?" called Michel, making his voice gruff. "Ah! is it you, Monsieur le baron?" replied the man, advancing. "The devil take me if I expected to meet you here at this hour!" "You told the truth when you said that you were well known," whispered Petit-Pierre, laughing. "Yes, unfortunately," said Michel, in a tone which warned Petit-Pierre they were in presence of a real danger. "Who is this man?" asked Petit-Pierre. "Courtin, my farmer,--the one we suspect of denouncing your presence at Marianne Picaut's." Then he added, in a vehement and imperative tone, which made his companion aware of the urgency of the situation, "Hide behind me as much as possible." Petit-Pierre immediately obeyed. "Oh! it is you Courtin, is it?" said Michel. "Yes, it is I," replied the farmer. "Where do you come from?" asked Michel. "From Machecoul; I went there to buy an ox." "Where is your ox? I don't see it." "No, I couldn't make a trade. These damned politics hinder business, and there's nothing now in the market," said Courtin, who was carefully examining, as well as he could in the darkness, the horse on which the young baron was mounted. Then, as Michel dropped the conversation, he continued:-- "But how is it you are turning your back to La Logerie at this time of night?" "That's not surprising; I am going to Souday." "Might I observe that you are not altogether on the road to Souday?" "I know that; but I was afraid the road was guarded, so I have made a circuit." "In that case,--I mean if you are really going to Souday," said Courtin,--"I think I ought to give you a bit of advice." "Well, give it; sincere advice is always useful." "Don't go; the cage is empty." "Pooh!" "Yes, I tell you, it is empty; there's no use in your going there, Monsieur le baron, to find the bird who has sent you scouring the country." "Who told you that, Courtin?" said Michel, man[oe]uvring his horse so as to keep his body well before Courtin, and thus mask Petit-Pierre behind him.