Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-12
CHAPTER III.
A Retrospect.

CHAPTER III.
A Retrospect.
Idris slept in room. the window of
which, being dormer one overlooked the
roofs Of the other houses. and gave him an
uninterrupted view Of the sea.
One morning. as soon as he had drawn
er's room with the news:
"Oh. mother, come and look. There's
pretty little ship in the bay"
&c. to please him. Mrs. Breakspear step
ped from her lit clos. or cupboard bed, and
stole. even as she was in her night robe,
to take a view of the vessel.
See. there 1t is cried Idris, exctedly
pointing 1t out. rs it Viking ship,
mcther?"
There are no Vikings nowadays" was
the reply. a reply which Idris took as
PROOF OF the degeneracy Of the times. 1T
is yacht"
AS this term conveyed no more enlighten-
ment to Idris' mind than if she had said
that IL was qu1nquereme, he naturally
asked What is yacht?"
The explanation was deferred till break
fast time, when his mother entered into the
meaning of the term. Idris made some
what hasty meal, being eager to run off to
the quay for the purpose Of taking a nearer
view of the newly arrived vessel.
Dancing down the stairs of the old house
into the street he made for the end of the
stone pier, and sitting down at the head
of the steps he took long survey of the
yacht. wondering whether 1t equaled in point
of swiftness and beauty the famous Long
Serpent of Olaf, built by that master Ship
wright. Thorberg. 4TT
A boat was rapidly making its Way from
the vessel to the harbor. Idris recognized
1t as the revenue cutter, at the tiIler of
which sat Old Pol himself
"Ha! Master Idris, ., he said, as soon as
he had mounted the stairs, what a pity
you not ont h0lr
could then have gone with us to yon ves-
sell" And then, turning to those who had
accompanied him, he remarked: so Cap
tain Rochefort is the owner of that Yacht.
Well, everybody has heard of him; one of
the bravest in the emperor's service, and
an officer of the Legion of Honor. Nothing
wrong with that craft, eh, Baptiste?"
Humph?' growled the man addressed A
grizzed old coastguard with a saturnine
cast of countenance. $50 they have put
Captain Rochefort ashore at Port ST. Rene,
and he is coming on foot to Quilaix. But
II the captain wants to visit Quilaix, why
| does he not come with the yacht, instead of
walking over the moorland?"
why, Baptiste, you talk like one who is
suspicious" remarked Pol in surprise.
And l am suspicious. There's something
W. ong in the wind Harbormaster, listen
to me. AS everybody in Quilaix is going to
the Pardon today the town will be desert
ed until late hour. The night will be
dark, as this Is the time of no moon Cap
tain Rochefort has been put ashore in order
to signal the favorable moment They are
going to run cargo"
This statement was received nv pol with
burst Of laughter.
Bapt1ste, you talk like a fool. What car
go can such small craft carry? Besides
they have no cargo. Did we not overhaul
her thoroughly! Captain Rochefort a con-
trabandist military officer hazard his
reputation In smuggling venture, I'm
possible! He would have everything TO lose
and nothing to gain by such a course"
R9DtiSta nv "a ko ofl l.;
that he was not to be moved from his onin
ion.
Very well, Baptiste, since YOU are 81
suspicious, we had better put Won IN tho
watch for the next twenty-four hours
Il intend to watch whether mt on or
NOT; ana by the Key of Saint Tugean 1
shall nave discovered something before to-
morrow morning comes''
Undoubtedly. You will discover that
you would nave acted more wisely by go
ing with US to the Pardon today. That's
not miss any of its gayeties And in ali
F1nlstere there are no pancakes and cider
like those of st. Rene"
me rest OF the coastguard, murmuring
tnelr approval OF these sentiments disnersed
In order to prepare for the Pardon ar
church festival, to be held that day in a
distant village; of which festival the har
bormaster's wife had on tho nrayio,.
evening, drawn so pleasant a forecast In
the hearing of Idris that the little fellow
had felt great disappointment on learning
a No NJ ;,,
the celebration F> 40
Madame Marais had been somewhat from
bled by the question as to how her tenants
meals were to be prepared during her h
sence, but Mrs. Breakspear had solved THO
difficulty by offering to arrange for her
self.
Meantime Idris, still at the head of the
pier steps, continued his survey Of the YES
sci.
A piece of canvas hanging over the taffrai,
was suddenly araWn up by a sailor on
board, an act that enabled Idris to see the
name of the yacht painted in big black let
tiers.
N-E-M-E-S-I-S
Nemesis! This was a word new to him.
He had known sailors call their boats
Marie, Isabelle, Jeanne and the like. with
various epithets prefixed, as jolie belle and
petite, but never Nemesis. He couId NOT
tell whether it was the name of man or
woman; so, on returning home, he sought
enlightenment of his mother
Its a curious name to give to a shfp''
commented the little fellow thoughtfuily,
after Mrs. BFeakspear had tried to ex-
plain the meaning of the term "Why do
they call it that2 Are they going to take
vengeance on somebody?'
Shortly afterward Madame Marais came
out of her house. wearing the wonderful
lace cap that had descended to her through
several generations Leaning upon the arm
of Old Pol, who was likewise gorgeously
arrayed, she moved off in great state to
take her place in the line of the process
sion which, under the direction of Mon
sieur lie Cure. was slowly forming before
the porch of Ia Chapelle des Pecheurs.
When all prHlfminaries had been satis-
factorily completed the simple-heartod
peasants, with flags iytng and pipes pla "
ing, set OF on their pilgrimage, walking