Better keep your men outside.

We can search more thoroughly by ourselves." The merchant told his men, who had seized and were binding the two occupants of the hut, to remain outside.

The inside of the hut differed in no way from the ordinary dwelling of fishermen, except that a large table stood in the middle of it, and there were some benches against the walls.

Some oars stood in one corner, and some nets were piled close to them.

A fire burned in the open hearth, and a pot hung over it, and two others stood on the hearth.
"Let us see what they have got here," Francis said, while the merchant leaned against the table with an air of profound depression, paying no attention to what he was doing.
"A soup," Francis said, lifting the lid from the pot over the fire, "and, by the smell, a good one." Then he lifted the other pots simmering among the burning brands.
"A ragout of kid and a boiled fish.