As they spoke, they were being led through the streets of Marseilles, handcuffed and two abreast, with a brace of gendarmes between each couple.
The people flocked out to stare at the "notorious gang of forgers, which"—so rang the report—"had just been captured by the police, after making a desperate resistance."
The first impulse of Jack Harkaway himself had been naturally to resist his captors.
But he was speedily shown the uselessness of such a course.
When they were brought up before the judge for examination, they protested their innocence, and told the simple truth.
But this did not avail them.
Herbert Murray had prepared the way for their statements to be regarded as falsehoods.
By this means, when Jack protested that his name was Harkaway, it went clearly against him, inasmuch as it corroborated what Murray had said.
So they were remanded, one and all, and sent back to the cells.
Mr. Mole's indignation could not be subdued.