“Near the edge of a dark, thick wood, intersected by capacious winding paths known only to the inhabitants around, this subterranean passage, a hundred feet in length, and thirty feet wide, solidly vaulted, extended unsuspected under a thick covering of earth. The door, concealed by brambles, opened to the south, opposite the yard gate, so that it could be perceived only with great difficulty. “Within it was fastened by a heavy iron bar let into the solid wall, and by a very strong lock, invisible on the outside. “A staircase of sixteen steps led down into this vault. “At the bottom was a very large chimney, which would contain a dozen persons, planned so as to facilitate the escape of those who might be surprised in the vault. “This chimney, furnished with enormous pot-hooks, was filled with vast boilers on days devoted to great feasts. “And its flue, large enough to allow a man to climb through, passed up into the mound of earth above, where it was concealed by thickly clustered thorns and bushes. “Our gang had turned this subterranean vault to very profitable account. “Here they concealed the spoils plundered from the unfortunate farmers, and their booty taken on fair days. “Here the cries of their prisoners were drowned in the shouts of drunken madness. “The clumsy thief, closely pursued to this spot, disappeared as by enchantment. “It was the asylum and pandemonium of the gang, the common refuge of the weak, the staff-office of the place, and the general workshop of the “Scorchers,” as we were generally called. “The ‘little knacker,’ Peter, concealed there, or thereabouts, what might be called the ‘unattached members’ of our gang. “He had always the barber, surgeon Baptiste, and some tailors in readiness, by whose aid our features and costume could be quickly changed. “There were storekeepers, also; and a sort of post-office formed part of this establishment, as complete in its organization as any social government could require. “The two ‘fences’ at Boisseaux and Remolu, kept by the brothers Thèvenot, were ostensibly store-houses for hides and skins. “Their tariff never varied. “For a sheep-skin they gave sevenpence. “For an ox or cow-hide half-a-crown. “For a shepherd’s dog fifteen pence. “When they had dealings with any one not belonging to the gang, they made it a rule to pay down half the price agreed upon. “For the _other_ half the poor dupe had to wait for ever. “However, by way of compensation, these worthies occasionally treated their customers with some highly flavoured dishes. “They were ‘knackers,’ and this was a convenient way of disposing of the flesh of cow or horse, cooked in the vast cauldrons in the subterranean passage. “At numerous other places ‘fences’ were established under the guise of innkeepers and other legitimate callings. “Launay of Pithiviers amused his leisure hours by rubbing copper money with quicksilver, to make it pass for silver coin.