“The señor general wishes to know where you came from and what you are doing here, for sure.”
Lewis replied that they had come down the river on an ark, and that they had seen the oranges on the trees.
“We did not come to steal them,” Moses added, honestly enough. “We will go right away if you say so.”
The woman smiled broadly, then turned and repeated what they said in Spanish. The small lad, meanwhile, was peeling more oranges for them. But the man cried out as if in much excitement, and the woman asked them gravely when they had come down the river.
“Last night,” replied Moses.
“We always float by night when there is a moon,” Lewis explained, to help out Moses’ statement.
“Norah” interpreted, and the man grew even more excited.
“HOW GOT YE BY THE FORT?”
The Irishwoman fell to laughing. “But, sure, his honor wants to know how ye got by the fort?” she said to the boys.