"I wonder where Colonel Marchand thinks we are?" asked Harrie.
"I tell you what let's do, boys," suggested the fertile Jack Greenland. "Let's remind them that we are human beings, and that we must have food and drink or perish. Now, together, let us call for water!"
The young engineers were not loath to do this, and a minute later, as with one voice that rang out loud and deep in that narrow place of confinement, they shouted three times in succession:
"Water! water! water!"
This cry they repeated at intervals for the next half hour without bringing any one to their side, when they relapsed into silence. But it was not long before an officer and two companions brought them both food and drink. They partook of these while their captors stood grimly over them, ready to return the irons to their wrists as soon as they had finished their simple meal. The only reply they could get to their questions was an ominous shake of the head from the leader of the party. So Jack gave up, and he and his companions relapsed into silence which was not broken until the disappearance of the men.
"This beats everything I ever met with," declared Jack, "though I must confess I have been in some peculiar situations in my time."
Nothing further occurred to break the monotony of their captivity for what they judged to be several hours. Then they suddenly became aware of a person approaching them in a stealthy manner. At a loss to know who could be creeping upon them in such a manner, they could only remain silent till the mystery should be solved. This was done in a most unexpected way by a voice that had a familiar sound to it, though it spoke scarcely above a whisper:
"Have no fear, señors, it is I."
The speaker was Francisco de Caprian, and he was not long in gaining their side.
"How fares it with you, señors?"