“He means Oran,” suggested Dr. Winstock.
“That’s the place.”
Bill knew nothing in regard to the intended movements of Raimundo and Bark.
“How happened Raimundo to be with you?” asked the principal. “He left the Tritonia the night before we came from Barcelona.”
“No, sir: he did not leave her at all. He was in the hold all the time.”
As Bill was very willing to tell all he knew about his fellow-conspirator and the second master,—except that Bark and himself had tried to set the vessel on fire,—he related all the details of the escape, and the trip to Tarragona, including the affray with the boatman. He told the truth in the main, though he did not bring out the fact of his own cowardice, or dwell upon the cause of the quarrel between himself and his companions.
“And how happened you to be here, and on this train? Did you know we were on board of it?” inquired the principal.
“I did not know you were on this train; but I knew you were over this way somewhere.”
“And you were going to look for us,” laughed Mr. Lowington, who believed that the fellow’s ignorance had caused him to blunder into this locality at the wrong time.
“I was not looking for you, but for the Tritonias,” replied Bill, who had come to the conclusion that penitence was his best dodge under the circumstances. “I was going over to Lisbon to give myself up to Mr. Pelham.”