For a moment Marguerite dreaded lest Chauvelin should order Desgas to search the place; what would happen if she were to be discovered, she hardly dared to imagine. Fortunately, however, Chauvelin seemed more impatient to talk to his secretary than afraid of spies, for he called Desgas quickly back to his side.
"The English schooner?" he asked.
"She was lost sight of at sundown, citoyen," replied Desgas, "but was then making west, towards Cap Gris Nez.""Ah!--good!--" muttered Chauvelin, "and now, about Captain Jutley?--what did he say?""He assured me that all the orders you sent him last week have been implicitly obeyed. All the roads which converge to this place have been patrolled night and day ever since: and the beach and cliffs have been most rigorously searched and guarded.""Does he know where this `Pere Blanchard's' hut is?""No, citoyen, nobody seems to know of it by that name. There are any amount of fisherman's huts all along the course. . .but. . .""That'll do. Now about tonight?" interrupted Chauvelin, impatiently.