The young man answered the question. "She saved my life. I was suffocating there, and drowning, and she pulled me up. I owe her my life."
"Oh, that's all right," Joey said, rather flustered. "Anyone would have lent a hand, of course. But do you mind telling us now whether you are in league with our Stinks Professor—you signal to him, don't you? But I hope you aren't doing beastly things like poisoning water, for you don't seem that sort."
The jumpy young man stared at the three Redlands girls, till his eyes seemed ready to start from his head. Then he gasped, "How do you know?"
"Because we've got the Professor—at least I think John has—and anyhow we've spoilt his game," Joey announced triumphantly. "But we want to know if you've been doing those kind of beastly spy things too—because we don't want to be hateful, but we couldn't shake hands with you and be friends if you have!"
They stood ankle-deep in the water, and stared at one another, Joey and the man whose life she had saved. There was a dead silence for a whole minute; then he said:
"I have worked with him, and I knew something of his plans, but mon Dieu! how I hated them and him. For my home is in Alsace, and my father and mother were French. The Professor, who is no more French than you are, had lent my father money, and I was to work it out as his assistant. And since the War he has forced me to work for him in this country, knowing I was too much implicated to betray him. And that is the truth, Mademoiselle."
Joey held out her hand. "You'll chuck it now, of course, and I'm sure Colonel Sturt will see about your not getting into trouble; and, if you don't mind, I could speak to Mademoiselle de Lavernais about you—she comes from Alsace too. We're no end glad you're all right, really."
"Rather!" said Noreen and Gabrielle with great heartiness, and all three shook hands with the Alsatian solemnly.
"What's your name?" asked Joey, feeling that she ought to act as mistress of the ceremonies in right of her former acquaintance with the jumpy young man.
"I was baptized 'Hans'; when the doors and windows were all shut my parents called me 'Jean,' 'Jean Corvette,'" he said.