And so I came to great consideration of the privateering business and was drawn to it more and more.

The risks were greater, perhaps, even than on the King's ships, since the privateer hunts alone and may fall easy prey to larger force.

But the returns were also very much greater, and the life more reasonable, for on the King's ships the discipline was said to be little short of tyranny at times, and hardly to be endured by free men.
When, as the result of long turning over of the matter in my own mind, I had decided that the way to Carette lay through the privateering, I sought confirmation of my idea in several likely quarters before broaching it at home.
"Ah then, Phil, my boy! Come in and sit down and I'll give you a cup of my cider," was Aunt Jeanne's greeting, when I dropped in at Beaumanoir a few days after the party, not without hope of getting a sight of Carette herself and discussing my new ideas before her.
"No, she's not here," Aunt Jeanne laughed softly, at my quick look round.
"She's away back to Brecqhou.

Two of them came home hurt from their last trip, and she's gone to take care of them.

And now, tell me what you are going to do about it, mon gars ?" she asked briskly, when I had taken a drink of the cider.
"About what then, Aunt Jeanne ?" "Tuts, boy! Am I going blind?
What are an old woman's eyes for if not to watch the goings-on of the young ones?
You want our Carette.