"To be sure I did. She can work round to Ajaccio and repair. She will arrive evidently from the verge of total wreck, an ordinary trader in ballast, with nothing suspicious about her. No questions will be asked that Pomery cannot invent an answer for off-hand. She will be allowed to repair, refit, and sail for reinforcements."
"Reinforcements? But where will you find reinforcements?"
"I must rely on Gervase to provide them. Meanwhile we have work on hand. To begin with, we must clear up this mystery, which may oblige us to camp here for some time."
"O-oh!" said I.
"You do not suggest, I hope, that we can abandon our comrades, whatever has befallen them?"
"My dear father!" I protested.
"Tut, lad! I never supposed it of you. Well, it seems to me we are more likely to clear up the mystery by sitting still than by beating the woods. Do you agree?"
"To be sure," said I, "we may spare ourselves the trouble of searching for it."
"I propose then, as our first move, that we step down to the ship together and pack Captain Pomery off to Ajaccio with his orders—"
"Excuse me, sir," I interrupted. "You shall step down to the ship, while I wait here and guard the camp."