Bill, as agreed on, began his narrative in a very circumstantial manner.
“All moighty foine, if thrue,” observed Colonel O’Toole, for he was the officer who had just arrived, having been sent for to act as interpreter.
“It’s true, sir, every word of it,” said Bill.
“Well! we shall see, afther you repeat it all over again to the gineral, and moind you thin don’t made any changes,” said the colonel.
Bill wisely did not reply. Presently the general with his staff appeared, he and a few officers passing on into an inner room. A few minutes afterwards Jack and Bill were sent for.
They found the general with Colonel O’Toole and several other persons seated at a table.
The general spoke a few words, when the colonel again told the prisoners to give an account of themselves.
Bill did so exactly in the words he had before used, Colonel O’Toole interpreting sentence by sentence.
“Good!” said the general. “And what could induce you, when you were once safe on shore, to venture out to sea on so dangerous a machine?”
The colonel interpreting, turned to Jack.