For Carette and my mother and home and everything lay up the climbing way, and I believed, poor fool, that I had got the better of a man like Torode of Herm.
At sight of us, one came running down from Les Laches where he had gone at sound of the firing, and greeted us with amazement.
"Bon Gyu, Phil Carre! And we thought you dead! And Helier Le Marchant! Where do you come from?
Where have you been all the time ?" "Prisoners of war.

We came across from France there.

There's a boat in the harbour, Elie, that we borrowed and promised to return.

Will you see to it for us ?" and we sped on, to meet many such welcomes, and staring eyes and gaping mouths, till we came to Beaumanoir, and walked into the kitchen.
"Oh, bon Dieu!" gasped Aunt Jeanne, and sat down suddenly on the green-bed at sight of us, believing we were spirits bearing her warning.
But I flung my arms round her neck and kissed her heartily, and asked only, "Carette ?--and my mother ?" And she said, "But they are well, mon gars," and regarded me with somewhat less of doubt, but no less amazement.

And I kissed her again, and said, "Helier will tell you all about it, Aunt Jeanne," and ran off across the knoll, past Vieux Port, to Belfontaine.
I looked across at Brecqhou as I came in sight of the western waters, and said to myself, "In an hour I will be over there to see Carette," and my heart leaped with joy.