"Queer!"
"Precious queer."
"The one lesson to be learnt from it, Chivey," said his master, "is to stop all correspondence between the prisoners and the consul."
"And push forward the trial as much as possible."
"Yes, and get together as many reliable witnesses as we can——"
"Buy them at a pound apiece," concluded Chivey.
"Right," said Herbert Murray, with a mischievous grin; "forewarned, forearmed; we hold them now and we'll keep them——"
"Please the pigs," concluded Chivey fervently.
CHAPTER XCVI.
OUR FRIENDS IN DURANCE VILE—A STROKE FOR LIBERTY—THE PRISONERS' PLOT—MOLE IS PRESCRIBED FOR—A FRIEND IN NEED—HOPES AND MISGIVINGS—"OLD WET BLANKET."