“I am so intent, papa, on what the captain is telling us, that I can barely answer. I have not lost a word; but,” she added turning to the captain, “do please go on, your experience is so very interesting.”
“The detective soon found out his mistake and was taken to task about it. It was an amusing scene,” continued the captain, “for I was on the point of figuring as a belligerent, but my friend stopped me from committing myself.”
“Was it not that honest policeman, captain, who did so?” interrupted the aeronaut.
“So it was; he acted a good part, and will be a great man some day.”
“What was his name?” asked the squire.
“We must not tell names, according to our agreement,” said the captain, laughingly.
“How trying!” said the squire.
“Oh, you might just tell us the policeman’s name and the locality,” said Miss Dove, persuasively, and the captain was half-inclined to do so, when a servant knocked at the door and handed a note to Miss Dove.
“Won’t it be as well,” said the squire, taking out his watch, “to go and see about a captive ascent? You must not think of leaving us to-night, friends, for, to be candid with you, neither I nor my daughter can rest until we know more of you, and hear the sequel to your adventure.”
“Yes, indeed,” said Miss Dove, “we can now very easily understand why you didn’t wish names to be known.”