panniers, containing fruits and vegetables, and as she did so, said, "Vous voyez, Je suis préparé pour le marché." ·

"Market," exclaimed my father, "you are a great way from any town."

"True," replied Justine, "but my market is not far off, nevertheless."

A few more questions, and they found, to their inexpressible delight, that Justine's market was the beach, and her customers English sailors, who rowed ashore occasionally to purchase fruit and vegetables".

This traffic was never interfered with by the few coast guards scattered about, as the English paid extravagantly, and the girls who supplied them paid well to their countrymen for being on these occasions a little blind.

My father upon hearing this, determined to trust Justine entirely.

The astonishment of the girl, when she found that she was sheltering an English prisoner,

'This was frequently done upon the Mediterranean coast, during the war, from the ships which blockaded the French ports.

was only equalled by her fears, as she knew full well that the ruin of herself and family would follow the knowledge of it by those in authority.

My mother was almost in despair when she saw the fears and hesitation of Justine, and implored her in piteous accents to keep their secret, if she would not assist them.

"God forbid," said the frightened girl, "that I should be so wicked or so cruel as to betray you; on the contrary, I will do my best to assist and save you, only promise me that, whatever happens, you will not let it be known that I was aware your husband was an Englishman."

She was made easy on this head, and they all three hastened to talk over and arrange the projected escape.

It appeared that about half a dozen girls of her own age were in the habit of accompanying Justine to the beach with their little cargoes of fruit and vegetables, as soon as they saw the boats put off from the men-of-war in the offing. Now, there would not be much

difficulty in my mother's accompanying Justine to the beach, but my father's being of the party was entirely out of the question. His appearance would at once excite the suspicion of the other girls, and could not escape the vigilance of the coast-guard. After various plans proposed and rejected, it was at length agreed that my mother should be passed off to the girls as accompanying a sick relative to the sea-side for the benefit of the air; that they were strangers to Justine, but had asked for lodgings at her mother's cottage.

They were not to show themselves till the day the boats landed, when they were to join Justine and her companions as they proceeded to the beach, my father disguised as an old woman, with his head wrapped in handkerchiefs.

It may be imagined with what intense eagerness my poor parents watched day after day for the boats, till their hearts became almost sick with "hope deferred."

At last, after a fortnight's watching, a boat was seen to leave one of the ships at anchor,

VOL. I.

D

and soon after, another boat from a frigate, which the poor fugitives had been looking at all the morning.

All was now bustle and agitation, though every thing had been long in readiness; and following the directions of Justine, who started with her load out of the front door, my father and mother, with their packages concealed as well as they could about their persons, hastened, with beating hearts, through the back door of the cottage into the garden, and up some rising ground, from whence they had a full view of what was going forwards.

It was a glorious day, towards the latter end of June, the sea glittered like gold, while vessels, with their white sails, were skimming gaily along its surface.

The boats before-mentioned neared the shore.

My parents, breathless with anxiety, hastened onwards, forgetting for a time the infirmity my father was to assume. In fact, they thought of nothing, and, for a time, saw nothing but the

ocean.

Roused at length to their danger by hearing voices in the road, just beneath the high bank on which they were walking, they looked down, and saw the young companions of Justine, whom she had just joined.

In a quarter of an hour they would reach the beach.

Behind some sand-hills, about half a mile off, three or four of the coast-guard were lying down, watching the motions of the boats, and of their countrywomen.

This was the moment of the greatest danger and excitement. If these fellows had had the slightest suspicion of the fact, (however they might wink at the marketing going forwards,) they would have rushed on at almost any risk, so high a reward was given for the English who escaped.

My father, taking my trembling mother by the arm, slid with her down the bank unperceived, and here they seated themselves till the market-girls, by a turn in the road, came up with them.