After riding for an hour and a half, during which time not a word was exchanged between the traveller and his guide, they reached the gate of one of those buildings peculiar to that region, which are something between a farmhouse and a château. The guide stopped, and made a sign to the traveller to do likewise. Then he dismounted and rapped at the door. A servant opened it. "Here is a gentleman who wishes to speak to monsieur," said the farm-hand. "It is impossible," replied the servant. "Monsieur has gone to bed." "Already!" exclaimed the traveller. The servant came closer. "Monsieur spent last night at a rendezvous, and has been nearly all day on horseback," he said. "No matter," said the guide. "This gentleman must see him; he comes from Monsieur Pascal, and is going to join Petit-Pierre." "In that case it is different," said the servant. "I will wake monsieur." "Ask him," said the traveller, "if he can give me a safe guide; a guide is all I want." "I do not think monsieur would do that," said the servant. "Why not?" "Because he will wish to guide monsieur himself," said the man. He re-entered the house. In five minutes he returned. "Monsieur wishes to know if monsieur will take anything, or whether he prefers to continue his journey without delay." "I dined at Nantes and need nothing. I prefer to go on immediately." The servant again disappeared. A few moments later a young man came out. This time it was not the servant, but the master. "Under any other circumstances, monsieur," he said, "I should insist on your doing me the honor to rest a while under my roof; but you are no doubt the person whom Petit-Pierre expects from Paris?" "I am, monsieur." "Monsieur Marc, then?" "Yes, Monsieur Marc." "In that case, let us not lose a moment; you are expected with the utmost impatience." Turning to the farm-hand, he said, "Is your horse fresh?" "He has only done five miles to-day." "In that case I'll take him; my horses are all knocked up. Stay here and drink a bottle of wine with Louis. I'll be back in two hours. Louis, take care of your comrade." Then turning to the traveller, he added, "Are you ready, monsieur?" At an affirmative sign from the latter they started. After a dead silence of a quarter of an hour a cry sounded about a hundred steps before them. Monsieur Marc started and asked what it was. "It came from our scout," said the Vendéan leader. "He asks in his fashion if the road is clear. Listen, and you will hear the answer." He stopped his horse and signed to Monsieur Marc to do the same. Almost immediately a second cry was heard coming from a much greater distance. It seemed the echo of the first, so exactly alike were the two sounds. "We can safely go on; the road is clear," said the Vendéan leader. "Then we are preceded by a scout?" "Preceded and followed. We have a man two hundred steps before us and two hundred steps behind us." "But who are they who answer the scouts?"