Part 57 (2/2)
A short nod was given in response, and the French captain clapped the theood,” he said ”I aer friend
Up vis you!”
”Coht”
Mike did not seem to think so, but he followed Vince up the rope into the fissure, after one of the ar in his bantering tone as they crept along the aard rift
”Vairy clever; vairy good!” he cried ”I see you know ze vay It is _nifique_ You see, I find I have visitor, and zey do not know ven ze _dejeuner_ is _pret_, so I ae, and catch ze leetle bird”
A rope was ready at the other end of the fissure, and as Vince dropped down it was into the presence of half a dozen lance that he cast round, the boy saw that a boat was drawn up on the sand and a fire of as burning close down to the water's edge
Vince noticed, too, that one of the men who followed stopped back by the rope, with his drawn cutlass carried ood proof that everything had been carefully planned beforehand in connection with the ”trap-springe,” as the Frenchman called it
Preparations had already beenas cook; and in a short tis were stood on end round a beautifully clean white tablecloth spread upon the soft sand; excellent coffee, good bread-and-butter, and fried mackerel were placed before them, and the French captain presided
The boys felt exceedingly nervous and uncoh that their captor was playing with the a part They knew, too, that they were prisoners, and shi+vers of reht of the anxious ones at ho the appetites, sharpened to a , which, after the first choking ainsaid; and they soon set to work voraciously, while the captain ate as heartily, and his ether by themselves to make their breakfast alone
”Brava!” cried the captain, helping them liberally to the capital breakfast before the _amis_ My table has not been so honour before”
At last the meal was at end, and the captain clapped his hands for the things to be cleared away, a couple of thethis task with quite lances, and, without coether; while the captain raised his eyebrows
”Aha!” he said: ”you vant soood breakfast, and to tell you that we are now going horilais_ call it going home--_a la mort_-- to die”
”No, we don't,” said Vince sharply ”We ht”
”Aha, yaas; and the _bon_ papa and mamma know vere you have come?”
”No,” replied Vince quickly; ”no one knows of this but us”
”_Vraily at Mike ”No one knows butfriend?”
”No,” said Mike ”We found the cave by accident; we fell into the way that leads down, and kept it a secret”
”Good boy; but you can keep secret?”
”Yes,” said Mike; ”of course”
”Aha! so can I,” said the captain, laughing boisterously ”Suppose I send you home my vay, eh? No one know ze vay to ze cavern”
”I don't understand you,” said Mike sturdily