"First," the Captain put in, "I want to say that it was not my fault that Lieutenant Rowe did not lodge in my own quarters last night. I proposed that to him, and he said that he had a great deal of work to do, should be moving about more or less during the night, might be detained here several weeks, and so preferred to set up a small establishment of his own. This was the best that could be provided on a moment's notice."
"He was served with supper at your house?" asked Ned.
"Yes; and he was to have desayuno there this morning. That is, he was to have his first breakfast with me. Later he was to arrange for a table of his own."
"You came here with them?" asked Ned of the Filipino.
"I came on in advance to clear up the place."
"I see. Who came with you?"
"Two servants."
"Did they come into this room—the room occupied by the Lieutenant and his companions, I mean?"
"No; they were working the fan from the porch."
"Are those men in the place to-day?"