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 are a British tramp steamer bound for Curaçao; our captain has been paid by Comte Dessalines to set him ashore en route at St. Marc." He glanced at the others.

"Bon," gurgled Dessalines.

"At St. Marc," pursued Rosenthal, "Monsieur le Comte, accompanied by Maître Jules, will go ashore, proceeding at once to Port au Prince where he will examine the political situation and confer with General Lin Miragoâne who has five hundred men in the environs of Port au Prince. Monsieur le Comte will then proceed to La Coupe, where he will be the guest of the Fouchères, thus disarming suspicion of political activity."

"Bon," muttered Dessalines. "In the meantime," continued Rosenthal, "our dear friend and ally, General Tirésias Bisoton, on sighting our vessel from St. Marc, will proceed to a point five miles down the coast, where he will be taken aboard and pilot us to a point six miles south of Gonaïves, where we will embark the two hundred disaffected Firminists under General Soult; thence we will proceed to Jeremie to receive the hundred and fifty men under Monsieur le Duc de La Fitte; thence to Anse-à-Veau for the two hundred men of the General Peligro; thence to Grand Goâve, where it is safe to say that we may count upon one hundred and fifty men, friends of my own."

"Bon," muttered Dessalines.

"When all is in readiness in Grand Goâve," continued Rosenthal, "I will dispatch a courier to Monsieur le Comte at La Coupe. The man will have a slip of paper upon which will be written two numbers: the first, the day of the month upon which our emperor-elect shall march down upon Port au Prince at the head of his 212