310 THE OLD COLONEL'S RAGE. 



cried ; ' you've smashed old - 's ' (naming his neigh- 

 bour) ' parlour window, as I'm a sinner !' At this mo- 

 ment a tall figure in white appeared in front of the 

 house, which I could now dimly discern through the 

 bushes, and came running towards us. 



" ' Here he is himself ! pull for your life !' exclaimed 

 my comrade; and instantly he capsized the pan of blaz- 

 ing knots into the water and seized his paddle. A few 

 strokes placed us under the shadow of the opposite 

 bank, from which we could hear the old Frenchman 

 venting his rage in all manner of strange words, and 

 threatening vengeance against us. An unlucky laugh 

 on the part of my friend revealed our whereabouts, 

 when instantly the irascible old colonel discharged his 

 smooth-bore at us, the charge rattling about our ears, 

 but fortunately without doing us any injury. As we 

 gave no sign, he soon took himself off to bed, from 

 which he had evidently sprung on hearing the shot 

 followed by the smashing of his glass. 



" We were glad to be out of the scrape so easily, and 

 we paddled homewards the moment we heard him bang 

 his door behind him." 



The party now began to yawn and stretch evidences 

 of fatigue. They therefore heaped the fire with fresh 

 fagots, and bestowed themselves in the most comfort- 

 able postures which their ingenuity could suggest. 

 Shortly, sounds indicative of profound repose alone 

 disturbed the silence, if we except the deep murmur of 

 the river or the wail of the wind through the tree-tops. 



