Absorbed in his task, he heard me not; and coming up I set my foot on the pistol that lay by him, and caught him, as the duke had caught Lafleur his comrade, by the nape of the neck, and said to him, in a bantering tone: "Well, is it not there, my friend ?" He wriggled; but the strength of the little man in a struggle at close quarters was as nothing, and I held him easily with my one sound hand.

And I mocked him, exhorting him to look again, telling him that everything was not to be seen from a stable, and bidding him call Lafleur from hell to help him.

And under my grip he grew quiet and ceased to search; and I heard nothing but his quick breathing.

And I laughed at him as I plucked him off the duke and flung him on his back on the sands, and stood looking down on him.

But he asked no mercy of me; his small eyes answered defiance back to me, and he glanced still wistfully at the quiet man beside us.
Yet he was to escape me--with small pain to me, I confess.