"Now then, old fellow," said he, "you will help us to clear up this mysterious affair."
The caged stranger made no reply to this observation; Willis and Jack then questioned him, the one in English and the other in French.
Still no reply.
He did not submit, however, to be interrogated quietly; on the contrary, his struggles to get away were most vigorous, so much so that Fritz adopted the precaution of binding him.
"If it had been one of our sailors," said Willis, "he would have recognized my voice long ago."
"Who are you?" asked one.
"Where do you come from?" inquired another.
"Do not attempt to escape," said a third.
"We mean you no harm; on the contrary, we are friends, disposed to do you good if we can."
"If all his brothers and sisters are as talkative as himself," remarked Jack, "they must be a very amusing sort of people."