In the morning, as the family re-assembled at breakfast, jaded with the watching and anxiety of the past night, Julia informed the mother and daughter that the Vengeance and the brig had been both carried off by the English, after a desperate resistance. That there were nine or ten killed, on board and on shore, of the crew of the Vengeance, and amongst the soldiers. Captain Gaudet was not hurt, but furious and frantic at the loss of the vessel, which he imputed to the conduct of the soldiers, and the cowardice of the captain of the brig—attempting to run out instead of anchoring his vessel with her broadside to the entrance, and firing into the boats as they came up. “My father heard that one or two of the English had been killed, and some wounded, but no officer hurt; that the fisherman had delivered his letter and the packet into the hands of Lieutenant Thornton himself, who bade him say all were well.” A glow spread over the pale cheek of Mabel at this intelligence, though she deeply mourned the loss of life. “Where is your father, Julia?” demanded Madame Coulancourt, anxiously. “He and my mother went early in the calash to Havre. He expects his messenger to-day from Paris by the mail-post, and my mother went with him to make some necessary arrangements. They will be back in the evening, and the day after to-morrow he thinks we may leave Coulancourt.” “God grant it!” said the mother. “What did Sergeant Perrin do down at the creek last night, did you hear him speak about it, Julia?” “For a wonder, madame, he did not say a word, and seems very sulky. They are all sorely vexed at the cutting out of the Vengeance. I am going directly to Dame Moret, and very probably I shall see her son, and he surely will be able to tell us all the particulars; for the English did not touch or injure the fishing luggers, but put all the prisoners and wounded into them. I overheard one of the gendarmes saying to Sergeant Perrin, that the English crew and their leader that boarded the Vengeance, under a frightful fire from on board and on shore, were diables. That they were only about fifteen or sixteen men at first, that they cut down all before them, and that their leader—Lieutenant Thornton, I fancy—burst through all opposition and seized Captain Gaudet, who would otherwise have perished, and dragged him off, throwing him into the boats alongside, so that he might swim ashore or get on board the nearest boat.” “That officer was surely our own dear friend,” said Mabel; “he said if ever he captured the Vengeance he would spare Captain Gaudet, though he did treat him and Bill Saunders most cruelly.” “We may expect this Monsieur Gramont here to-day,” said Madame Coulancourt. “Yes, madame,” said Julia; “so Sergeant Perrin tells me.” “Then I will take very good care to keep out of his way,” said Mabel: “for I am sure it is owing to his schemes that we have been molested.”