“So long as you recognize it, that’s enough for me.”
“Oh, wait one moment,” he cried, as I put the key in the lock. “We have forgotten one very important point. I have been intensely disturbed by all this, as you will have seen; and that is the cause of my oversight. You will arrange for my friends to be set at liberty at once?”
“Certainly; as soon as practicable.”
“To-day, I mean?”
“That is not possible. The Rampallo is out at sea. I will send the Stella after her; but it will be at least two days before the two yachts can be back in port.”
His face clouded. “That is very serious. These officers are absent from their regiment without leave and exceedingly awkward questions may be asked. It may mean ruin for them.”
“I presume they knew the risk they were running.”
“Had they succeeded there would have been no risk of course. On the contrary, they would have had their reward. Had the cause of their failure been other than it was, they would have been able to return to duty at once; but as it is——” he broke off and paced the room in great perturbation. “Could you have them put on shore somewhere along the coast so as to save time?”
“No. The Rampallo has steamed straight out into the Atlantic.”
He tossed up his hands with an exclamation of despair. “I beg you to remain a minute while we consider this. I can think of but one way. It may be two days, you say?”