 And speak to quarters, buy this tower of battery. One broadside into it, please, Captain Bush. Pointers on target, blimps tops ready. C.S. Foresters, indomitable man of the sea, a ratio hornblower. Futuratives in a hostile country was prodigious. But another night of exposure in the snow and freezing wind would certainly have killed Bush. My two was frozen and half dead with fatigue. Even at the cost of being apprehended and sent on to palace and death, warmth and rest were imperative. As the door of the house opened, I shaded my eyes against the light and blinked at a tall, thin man in a blue coat, and the young woman beside him. Who are you? Wasn't there a war? One of us is wounded. Ah, come in, gentlemen. Come into the hall and let me shut out this dreadful weather. While we dried and bandaged Bush and carried him to the bed, which were shown us in a ground floor room, I struggled with the astonishment I felt at our kind and courteous reception. I'd expected hostile words and grim treatment. But had we been old friends, we could not have been more cordially received or attended. Dry clothes were brought for me, and Felix, the butler, helped me to dress. His master, he informed me, and awaited me in the drawing room. As I entered the room, the tall man rose, and the lady with the urban hair whom we'd met in the hall rose with him. I regret, sir, that I did not quite hear the name which my major domo announced. Captain Horatio Hornblower of his pathetic mattresses ship Sutherland. It is a great pleasure to meet you, sir. I am Louis-Antoine de Ladon, comte de Grasse. May I present to you my daughter-in-law, Madame Lazy Conteste de Grasse. I am enchanted, madame. You must be fatigued after your journey. Yes. Captain Horatio Hornblower, I have heard of you and Lieutenant Bush. Tomorrow, perhaps you would like to read the newspaper accounts of the loss of your ship. But at the moment, perhaps, you will permit me to ask you some personal questions. Well, of course, Monsieur de Grasse. You have every right to do that. I presume you have escaped from an escort which was taking you through Paris. Yes, sir. We escaped to the point about six kilometers on the farther side of Nevers. We found a boat and attempted to navigate the river in the darkness, but rapids here proved our undoing. And they would do any boat. Well, it is only midnight now, and you have come 20 kilometers. There is not the slightest chance of you being thought here for some time. You will be able to sleep in peace tonight. But, but, Monsieur de Grasse, are you not, well, that is, will you not be communicating with the authorities? I am the authority in this district. I have the honor to be mayor of this commune, and so represent the government. I see. I hope you will consider yourself among friends in this house, captain, or embalor. Thank you, sir. I shall tell the police that I have not seen you, and I hope you will stay as long as is convenient to you. Today, sir, I pay my respects to our house. So shall. Your three days' rest has completely restored you. A good fortune in coming to the one house where we will be welcomed and protected is amazing. I can hardly believe it yet. I was wondering about that, sir. Has the camp told you why he's doing it? Well, his daughter-in-law, Marie, has, but, oh, there's too long a story just now. Briefly, the count was in exile during the revolution and lived in London with his sons. When the boys grew up, they heard of the fame of Bonaparte and wanted to share it in the glory of France. Well, they came back to this. Yes. The count took advantage of the amnesty and returned here, the only part of his estate left by the revolution. His three sons joined the army. They're all dead. Gentlemen, pardon my intrusion, but a group of gendarmes is approaching the house. If you would be good enough to allow me to send yourself in here, I should like you to lock this door and remain silent while I deal with the gendarmes. We should do whatever you say, sir, but rather than expose you to any danger, we... There will be no danger to anybody, Captain. Here is your servant. If you lock the door, I will return to you as soon as possible. Thank you, sir. I, miss yours, you may safely open the door. The visit of the gendarmes was one of routine. They are perfectly satisfied with my assurance that you have not been here. Indeed, they would have been amazed if I had told them otherwise. The best possible thing has happened. They think you are dead. Dead? Yes. Permit me to explain. On the morning after your escape, a systematic search of both banks of the river was undertaken. A blanket, which was known to have been used by Lieutenant Bush, was found on the bank near the Bec d'Alierre. That would be the first rapid, I suppose, the one only about a mile from where we started. Yes, and this was taken to be an indication that the boat had been capsized and its occupants drowned. It is felt certain that your bodies will be discovered somewhere along the river or shortly. I see. And when they are not, the river is running so fast that you might well have been swept right away, even to the sea. But I note that your friends do not follow our conversation. Perhaps you would translate. And if you would not think it officious of me, I would suggest it would be inadvisable to continue your journey while Lieutenant Bush is still unwell. I rapidly gave the others the gist of the conversation. They were delighted for, as Bush pointed out, if we were dead, there was unlikely to be any search for us. He scouted the idea of being unfit for travel. Tillage, lordship sir, the bar can make myself a jury leg in two shakes. This time next week I'll be walking as well as he does. This time next week? Yes. I do not think you have quite realized the position. In this French empire, there are police everywhere. Every man looks with suspicion on his neighbor. To escape by road is impossible. There is only one way you can hope to leave this country. However, we can build a boat. Exactly. But my friend, the river is unnavigable in the winter. It seems to me quite necessary that you should give me the pleasure of your company until next April at the earliest. When I look back now, upon the memory of those four months we spent as the guests of the Corte de Grasse, it presents a picture of mingled anxiety and delight. He was the perfect host, always kind and courteous, ever helpful. Under the skillful hands of Brown and Bush, our fine flat-bottomed boat grew steadily. In the drawing room, the Count, Marie, and myself made and perfected the plans of the coming escape. Ah, it is settled then that you shall carry fishing rods and seem to be a party of fishermen out for the day. When you reach the coast, you must become Dutch customs officer. My excellent cook and housekeeper are already busy with the uniform. But there is one thing that worries me. What's that, sir? This report in the paper of your death. But I shall thought I would have made it safer. To a certain extent, yes. But I cannot believe that Bonaparte really considers the matter so proven. You see, you have been pronounced dead by a government which does not admit mistakes. Should you be taken now, there will be no question of a trial. You will die secretly with no attention being drawn to you. Well, they were going to shoot us anyway. This makes no difference. I shall not alter my plans in any particular because of it. You will be as delighted as I shall be. Thank you again, sir. Thank you a thousand times. Two weeks on land destroyed all your seamanship. I have a little less staring around and a little more work from you. All right, sir. A bad temper was for their benefit, too. Despite its innocent appearance, we were upon a desperate and dangerous adventure. And discipline was essential. Excuse me, sir. Listen. Isn't that another damn? Sir, believe it is. The river's narrowing and getting faster, too. Now, pull over to the bank there, Brown. All right, sir. There's no waterfalls on this trip if I can help it. All right? Ship skulls are land and survey the stream. Yes, it's a dam rising up from the steep one. We'll never get the boat through that. There's a hundred yards of boiling water below the dam, too. You'd have to carry everything down. Until Brown and myself three journeys didn't carry all the stores to the point where the boat could safely re-enter the river. Bush, though anxious to help, was only just able to hobble over the uneven ground and laden. Then I faced the problem with the boat itself. Carrying it was going to be a colossal task if it had to be done. Brown and I stood one on each side and got our hands under the bottom. By the time the portage was accomplished and the stores re-stowed, my head was swimming and the perspiration pouring from me. But I had the satisfaction of observing that Brown was in little better case. To resume my seat in the stone sheets as the boat slipped down the narrow placid river was sheer bliss. I wish you'd let me help, sir. I can get around on this stump better than you think. It's unnecessary, Mr. Bush, and we cannot afford the risk of having you disabled. Besides, the job's done now. I don't want to be a dissimid Jimmy, sir, but with the look of the land, I've got a feeling there's plenty more shallows and dams to come. And so it proved. Although we came to only one more dam less exacting than the first, we were caught in shallows several times that day. And each time it was necessary to lighten the boat and drag it through the shoal water. By the time evening approached, I was weary to death. And it took all myself control to maintain an appearance of cheerfulness. As evening drew on, I knew that a keener danger lay ahead. Bush knew it, too. We'll have to go under a bridge at three, eh, sir? Yes, Mr. Bush. The bridge is right in the town, I believe. Yes, Mr. Bush. Would you like me to look out for a place to lay up till it's dark, sir? No, Mr. Bush, we shall go straight on through the rear. Well, do you have the light, sir? Give me the light, Mr. Bush. Have you not heard of Nelson's injunction to lose not an hour? Yes, sir, Dyer, it's odd to leave the thinking to me, Mr. Bush. You can also give me the tiller when approaching the town. Aye, aye, sir. Ah, then, Brian, when I say pull, you'll pull as though the devil himself were after you. Ah, ah, keep it easy. There's the church tower, now. Ah, and there's the bridge. Hmm, barge is being towed. There's some men on the bridge, sir, looking down. Well, then, try to look like a contented peasant who's had a happy day out and has a fine basket of fish besides. And if you can also manage to convey the impression that you've never heard of an escaped Englishman and that you're loyal to Bonaparte and that you lost your leg in fighting against the cursed English, you'll greatly lose the star chances. Oh, I see they read all that in my face, sir. Excellent. You, Brian, you can take that silly grin off your moon face. It's getting out. You're going to shoot the bridge. Now, up your life. Pull. The bridge was almost an antique climax. A swirl of the water and Brian's powerful arms shot it through in an instant. He caught only a glimpse of curious faces peering down at us. An old man at the tiller of a barge raised a lazy arm in greeting. And then the bridge and the small town of Priere are behind us and fading into the gathering dust. Sure, tense moment, that's it. But it was easy enough. Perfectly, Mr. Bush. Do no doubt to all the information you displayed on your face. I'd give a lot to display what I really think about Bownie and his froggy shirt, and she'll have to restrain your feelings for a long time yet, I'm afraid. Even if nothing untoward occurs, it will be a fortnight before we reach the sea at Nantes. And even then, our troubles are only the beginning. I realize that, oh, if I only had two sound lades. Settle down, Mr. Bush. Brown, it's a small island on the Port Brown. We'll run the boat of Brown there for the night. Easy. Well, first, Albert, sip scowls. Keep the catchet hot over the fire. He'll be back shortly. He's a very wooded man, Brown. Every responsibility rests on him. Our lives depend on him, and he attaches more importance to them than they were in town. He'll get us through, sir. If you ask me, I'd say he ain't a man. He's a magician. He'd get out of anything in the way of danger. Yes, yes, otherwise he's Brown. If we escape and reach England, there's a court marshal awaiting Captain Orndor for the loss of the Sutherland. Explain our lack of papers and passports and so on. We shall therefore wear our uniforms as officials of the customs service. Very good, sir. And you will speak as little as possible. Your French is not too good. And I will, um, um, oh, what's the matter with you, Brown? Can't you smell it, sir? Smell what? Smell what? No, I don't. What? Don't think I can. Wait. Wait a minute. There is something. Mr. C, sir. Come and write Brown into the bank there. If we can smell the sea with the wind blowing off the land, we cannot be far away. Mr. Bush, this is a very notable achievement. Yes, sir. We've come a long way. 400 miles in a homemade boat over shows and rapids through towns and villages in a hostile country. If we ever get back to England, Mr. Bush, I'll see you post this as captain if it's the last thing I do. Are you sure? I've done nothing, but shit still is what you work. Well, that's a far harder task than mine was. Carried out with, uh, patience and nobility. No, that's enough talk. Let's carry out a plan. The smell of the sea was strong in my nostrils now. It brought with it all the old excitement and all the old determinations to do what must be done and to show no sign of the weakness and apprehension, I felt. But beyond that, see in the immediate dangers it presented, lay larger ones, the court martial, the future, my wife, who thought me dead, Lady Barbara, and whose eyes I might already be disgraced. Oh, let's lay in the future. Now, our long journey was passed and before me lay the sea. This is conducted by Sidney Torch.