The Lieutenant listened to the story and then asked:—
"Have you anything to show for all this?"
"How do you mean?" asked Jake.
"Why, you wretched coward, don't you understand? How am I to know how much of your story is true, and how much of it false? Of course it isn't all true. You couldn't talk so long without telling some lies. What I want to know is, what can you show for all this story? If I arrest these boys, what can be proved on them?"
"Well, the Captain's got a despatch from General Jackson; that'll prove something."
"When did he get it?"
"To-night."
"Very well. That's something. Now you just sit still till I tell you to do something else."
So saying the Lieutenant summoned a courier or two, and sent them off with notes.
"These boys have a boat, you say?"