"
"Cheer up, good Simon, and speak not thus dolefully," whispered Rene.
"If thou canst walk, or even crawl, I can save thee. Where lies thy
wound?"
"Not so that it interferes with my crawling or even walking; for though
it seems to lie in several portions of my body at once, it affects not
my legs. If thou hast knowledge of a chance of escape, however
slender, lead on, and I will gladly follow thee, for hopes I have none
in remaining here."
So Rene guided Simon very slowly and cautiously to the mouth of the
tunnel. Through it the old man forced his way, and with much
difficulty and many groans, until he too reached the river-bank in
safety, and was sent on to join Laudonniere and Le Moyne, and with them
to make an effort to reach the ships.
Then once more did the brave lad make his way back through the narrow
tunnel and to the outer edge of the house above its inner entrance.
Here, as before, he listened and awaited in the hope of discovering
other unfortunates whom he might aid to escape.
As he lay there watching, he listened with a swelling heart to the
triumphant songs and shouts of the Spaniards, and the cries of the
victims, whose hiding-places were still occasionally discovered, and
who were instantly put to death. Suddenly the smouldering embers of a
fire near by were fanned into a momentary blaze that caused him to
withdraw hastily beneath the building lest he should be discovered.
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