But it was the officer who continued speaking.
"I suppose you wish to deny everything," said he. "But I assure you it will do not the least good in the world."
"I presume not," escaped Clif's lips.
The Spaniard frowned angrily, but he went on without a change of tone.
"You were captured, if I understand it truly, from a merchantman which you ran upon the rocks in order to prevent one of our vessels from recapturing her?"
"That is true," Clif said.
"And you must have thought it quite a smart trick! But according to this man here, you previously had some fighting with our vessel. Would you mind telling me about it?"
"I would not," said Clif. "We were steaming toward Key West, myself and these four men being a prize crew from the gunboat Uncas. We were hailed from the darkness by another vessel——"
"Ah! And what was the name of the vessel?"
"I do not know."