The doctor examined the weapon very carefully; and, after having inspected the lock, he said,—
“Both barrels of your gun are empty; and they have not been emptied more than two minutes ago.”
“That is so; I fired both barrels at an animal that passed me within reach.”
“One of the balls may have gone astray.”
“That cannot be. I was aiming in the direction of the prairie; and, consequently, I was turning my back to the place where the officer was standing.”
To the great surprise of everybody, the doctor’s face, ordinarily crafty enough, now looked all benevolent curiosity,—so much so, that the two sailors who had captured the man were furious, and said aloud,—
“Ah! don’t believe him, commandant, the dirty dog!”
But the man, evidently encouraged by the surgeon’s apparent kindliness, asked,—
“Am I to be allowed to defend myself, or not?”
And then he added in a tone of supreme impudence,—