"That is true," Louis replied; "but how did you discover that?"
"Oh!" he said, with a disdainful smile, "we are well acquainted with those chiaplos—wicked soldiers. They are too old enemies to allow us to commit an error with regard to them. From what island do my brothers come?"
"Our country is not an island," Valentine observed.
"My brother is mistaken," the chief said emphatically; "there is but one country that is not an island, and that is the great land of the Aucas."
The two young men bowed their heads before an opinion so peremptorily put forth—all discussion became impossible.
"We are Frenchmen," Louis replied.
"Frenchmen! ah! a good brave nation! We had several French warriors in the time of the great war."
"What!" said Louis, with excited curiosity, "have French warriors fought with you?"
"Yes," the chief remarked, proudly; "warriors with grey beards, and breasts marked with honourable scars, which they received in the wars of their island, when they fought under the orders of their great chief, Zaléon."
"Napoleon?" said Valentine, quite astonished.