"There'll be no trouble then," continued Pierre. "You can tell her to
keep quiet and keep covered up when we're taking her to the boat.
She'll mind, I'll answer you. And then, if Madame Breboeuf can give
her a little homespun frock and cap, we'll pass her off all right
should anyone see her. And when we get to Beausejour my father will
make it all right for the clothes."
"He won't do anything of the sort," answered both Breboeuf and his wife
in one breath. "We all know Antoine Lecorbeau, and we're proud to do
his son a service. If we poor Acadians did not help each other, I'd
like to know who'd help us, anyway!"
It was with a light heart that Pierre slept that night, and joyfully
in the morning he put away the last trace of his hated disguise.
His little charge showed plainly that she considered the change
an improvement. The child told Breboeuf (whom she understood with
difficulty) that her name was Edie Howe. At this Breboeuf was surprised,
for, as he said to Pierre, there were no Howes at Kenneticook. When
the Acadian tried to question Edie more closely, her answers became
irrelevant, which was probably due to the deficiencies of Monsieur
Breboeuf's English.
Pierre kept indoors most of the morning, as the little one would not
let him out of her sight, and he dared not be seen with her. Soon after
noon the tide was all ready for a departure, and not behindhand was
the fisherman, Marin, with his stanch Minas craft. Marin had brought
his boat up the St.
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