Part 22 (1/2)

”Let the raft be moored close to the shore, just in its present state,”

said the officer; ”the general may wish to see it How could the lads have contrived to build such a machine?”

The commander of the boat explained that a wreck had occurred on the shore, and that they had evidently built it fro further about them he could not say

”Well, then, I'll take theeneral, and the interpreter attached to our division will draw from them all ant to know Co the prisoners along with you”

On this Jack and Bill found the it possible, should they not ht be expedited by a prick froood pace with the men

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

AGAIN SHUT UP

”I say, Bill, I wonder what theto do with us,”

whispered Jack, as they”Will they put handcuffs on our wrists and throw us into a dungeon, do you think?”

Bill acknowledged that he feared such ht be the fate prepared for the their walk Naturally they felt veryrecaptured, but they tried as before to put as bold a face as they could on the matter, and talked away to each other in an apparently unconcerned manner

They found from the remarks of the soldiers that they had a march of a couple of miles or more inland to the place where the troops were encamped, and that they were not to be carried to the old tower

On one account they were sorry for this, as, having ht h, of course, they would be uarded if it was discovered who they were

Froht they reached they saw the camp spread out on a wide level space a short distance off As they got nearer to it they observed a party of officers on horseback riding towards the plu the lead, they supposed was the general

They were right in their conjecture As he approached with his staff, the officer who had charge of theeneral reined in his horse and inquired who they were

The captain explained that two foreign lads, supposed to be English, had been discovered, endeavouring to leave the shore on a small raft of curious construction, such as no sane people would have wished to go to sea on; that there was so very suspicious about their h fired at by the soldiers, and that he had considered it his duty to bring them up for examination, as he could not understand thehtly, Captain Dupont,” said the general ”Let theht to my quarters, and I'll send for Colonel O'Toole to cross-question them” Bill and Jack understood every word that was said ”We are in for it,” said Bill; ”but we must put a bold face on thein the cavern for so recked, we resolved at once to build a raft, and get back to our own country”

”It would save a great deal of trouble if ere to say that recked in the brig, and then it would be but natural that we should try to escape from her,” replied Jack

”It would not be the truth, and we should not be believed,” answered Bill ”I would say just what happened--that our shi+p caught fire and blew up, that ere saved by the fisherot hold of us and carried us off prisoners, and that we made our escape from them We need not mention the names of our friends, and perhaps the interpreter won't be very particular in ree that they should give a true account of the out only such particulars as were not necessary to ots, and their discovery of the s a survey of the country around the camp, rode on with his staff, while Captain Dupont and hisprisoners 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 roouard-room

The soldiers reuard the prisoners, entered Jack and Bill had to wait for so which they were allowed to sit on a bench by thean to make observations on the people around them