16 THE SHIPWRECK,

early breeze, and gliding along the smooth surface of the
lake as swiftly as if her own master himself were at her
helm! Who had the audacity to unloose her and take her
from her place 1

Charles [the reader would be wearied by the constant
recurrence of his title] though scarcely half dressed, bur-
ried down stairs: the domestics were summoned, but no
inhabitant of the chateau stood guilty of such unparalleled
effrontery.

At length the thought struck him that it could be none
other than Philip Merville himself—that contemner of all
authority.

Charles hastened along the shore, and soon beheld his
youthful enemy, negligently reclining on board his galley,
navigating her at his ease, and coasting near enough to
the land to afford the young nobleman a fair chance of
witnessing how calmly and composedly Philip Merville
could contemplate the mighty whirlwind of his furious

indignation. He continued to manceuvre the Ariel with
the same tranquillity as if her legitimate master were not
regarding his motions with the most burning anger.
Charles could no longer contain himself when he saw
that there was no possibility of his getting at his enemy.

“Is there no batteau here,” he cried out, “that I may