206 A JACOBITE EXILE

“Well, you had better eat something, and then lie down
for asleep. Meat is plentiful with us, for there are thou-
sands of goats in the forest, and occasionally we get a deer
or wild boar. If we had but bread and wine we should live
like nobles. Our supplies, however, are low at present,
and we shall have to make an expedition to-morrow or next
day to replenish them.”

Charlie ate a few mouthfuls of meat, and then lay down
and slept for some hours ona bed of leaves. He was awoke
by loud and excited talking among the men, and learnt from
Honred that one of the men who had been left on watch at
the mouth of the path by which he had entered the forest,
had just brought in the news that a party of a hundred
infantry led by the Jew had arrived with a cart. In this
the body of Ben Soloman had been sent off, while the troops
had established themselves in the little clearing round the
hut.

“This comes of letting that Jew escape,” the captain
said. “No doubt he told the story his own way, and the
Jewish traders went to the governor and asked that troops
should be sent to root us out. Well, they are far enough
away at present, and I have sent off to have their move-
ments watched. It is a good nine miles from here to the
hut, and they may look for a week before they find this
place, unless that rascally Jew has heard of it from the
woodman, or they get hold of the fellow himself, though I
should think they will hardly do that. I fancy he has some
cause of quarrel with the authorities, and will not put him-
self in the way of being questioned closely if he can
help it.”

The next morning when Charlie awoke, two men were
standing beside him. His eyes first fell on the one who
had been to the town, and who held a large bundle in
his hand. Then he turned his eyes to the other, and gave
an exclamation of pleasure as he saw that it was Stanislas.