I said to myself, 'I will visit every house and inn in the villages round within this radius; I will enter every isolated dwelling, and will say to the inhabitants, "Do any of you remember at any time sheltering and feeding a child, dressed in such and such a manner ?"' giving at the same time a description of him.

I am sure that I should find some one who would answer in the affirmative.

Then I should gain a clue which I would follow up to the end." This plan appeared so ingenious to Tantaine, that he involuntarily exclaimed,-- "Good! excellent!" Perpignan hardly knew whether Tantaine was praising or blaming him.

His manner might have meant either.
"You are very fast," returned he dismally.

"Perhaps presently you will be good enough to allow that I am not an absolute fool.