The general, who was making a survey of the country around the camp, rode on with his staff, while Captain Dupont and his men conducted their two young prisoners to head quarters, there to await his return.
The general was residing in an old chateau, with a high-peaked roof, and towers at each of the angles of the building.
The party passed through the gateway, and proceeded to a room near the chief entrance, which served as a guard-room.
The soldiers remained outside, while the captain, with two men to guard the prisoners, entered. Jack and Bill had to wait for some time, during which they were allowed to sit on a bench by themselves.
Jack began to make observations on the people around them.
“Hush!” whispered Bill, “some one here may understand English better than we suppose, and we shall be foolish to let our tongues get us into a worse scrape than we are in already.”
Jack took Bill’s advice, and when he made any remark it was in a whisper.
They saw several of the officers who entered looking at them, and they were evidently the subject of their conversation. Jack and Bill had reason to consider themselves for a time persons of some importance, though they had no wish to be so.
At last an officer in a handsome uniform entered. He was a red-haired man, with queer twinkling eyes, and a cock-up nose, anything but of a Roman type.
Captain Dupont spoke to him, when the lads saw him eyeing them, and presently he came up and said, “Hurroo! now me boys, just be afther telling me what part of the world you come from!”