Part 23 (1/2)
The colonel, as in no wise particular as to ork he perforintleot in your pockets, and next your skin; or, if you will save me the throuble, just hand out your orders or any papers you ot none, sir,” answered Bill ”I told you the truth, that we arespies as you see to spy out that I know of”
”Well, ill soon see all about that,” said the colonel, beginning to search Bill; but, greatly to his surprise, he found nothing whatever about him, except his knife, the whole of Bill's worldly wealth, ”I told you so, sir,” said Bill, when he had finished ”I spoke only the truth aboutthat Jack would escape the search; but the colonel was far too knowing, and presently he seized upon Jack, who, in spite of his efforts to appear unconcerned, began to quake
The first plunge the colonel ht forth a nuold pieces ”Hurroo! now, this is your innocence is it, young gintleeneral ”Letwhat your other pocket contains;” and as he spoke he quickly drew forth another handful of gold, soeneral and the other officers were exa the first which he had produced, he slipped into his own pocket
”Troth! you're an arrant young rogue,” he exclaiiven you to bribe the people to betray their country”
”They were not given me to bribe any one, and I didn't steal them,”
answered Jack, boldly; ”I took them out of the chest which was on our raft, and there was no har that, I should think”
Bill was somewhat surprised to hear Jack say this It was the truth, and the idea must have at thatto betray the existence of the boxes of gold in the cavern, which the colonel would not have long allowed to remain unvisited, he suspected, from the little incident which has just been described
The colonel translated fairly enough to the general what Jack had just said
”It is probably the truth,” he remarked; ”however, let the boys be detained till we can ascertain more about them I don't wish to have them ill-treated There is a room in the western turret where they can be shut up securely till to-morrow Colonel O'Toole, see that my orders are carried out; but you can first let them have a view of the aret holand, and impress on the minds of their countrymen how hopeless is their attempt to resist the armies of France”
Bill understood every word of these reht be set at liberty and allowed to return home; still, the Irish colonel did not look very amiably at them; perhaps he did not quite like Bill's observations
”Coeneral and to the other officers, he conducted them froain took charge of the to a terrace, fro country Here they saw an almost countless number of white tents pitched, with soldiers in various unifor them
”Can you count those tents?” asked the colonel ”Each tent contains eleven or thirteen men, and one spirit animates the whole--that is, the conquest of perfidious Albion”
”They'll have a tough job, sir, let lish sojers except the Guards in London, and our Marines on board shi+p, but I know that one of our Guardsmen would lick a whole tentful of the little chaps I see about here; and I would advise the general to stay quietly at hoht little island”
”The French have wrongs to revenge, as have e theht in chains to France”
”That won't be just yet, andbold, and inclined to speak his mind ”I'll not bandy words with you, boy Take care what you are about!” exclaimed the colonel, who did not like Bill's boldness, especially when he saw a broad grin on Jack's countenance ”If you ever get back to England--and I don't say you ever will get back--remember what you have seen to-day, and tell those wretched slaves your countryet it, sir,” answered Bill, thinking it wiser to be civil; ”and I hope the general won't think it necessary to keep in prison two poor sailor boys who never did any harm to the French, and never wished to do any harht; and you will allow, sir, that that's all right and fair play”
”Or receive a thrashi+ng fro I eneral has ordered you to be placed, and moind you kape quiet and don't kick up a row, as you midshi+pmen are apt to do”
”We are not otten what the colonel had before said ”We are hu before the mast
Jack, there, is a fisherman's son, and I a you the truth, sir”
”You are a very sharp boy, then,” responded the colonel, looking at Bill
”Yes, sir,” said Bill, ”the school I went to is a place where boys are apt to get their wits sharpened They have little else to depend on”
The colonel still see the truth, and, perhaps fortunately for thee of a couple of h he railed against English lords, yet, when brought into contact with them, he was inclined to pay the to the colonel's idea, Bill and Jack were treated with far more attention than they otherould have received
The rooh small, had a table and chairs in it, and a bed in one corner