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"Therefore," added Littlestone, "we are resigned to our fate as prisoners of war; but still we hope." "And not without good reason," said Willis; "for it will go hard with me if I do not realize your hopes, and that very shortly too." "I do not see very well how our hopes of liberty can be realized till peace is proclaimed." "Peace!" exclaimed Willis.
It would be no use taking you to any other lodgings because you wouldn't be allowed to grill my bacon for me. But Mrs. Wilson knows that I must be humoured; and humoured I shall be. Also she will look after you while I am playing golf at Littlestone not that I have ever known you to need looking after." "Oh, sir, it will be nice!" said Pollyooly, still somewhat breathless.
But, for all that, I am satisfied there is a mystery somewhere." "But, Willis, the thing is altogether improbable." "Well, look here; Captain Littlestone is either dead or alive, is he not?" "Yes," replied Jack, "there can be no medium between these hypotheses."
"And this friend, no doubt, sent him a couple of tigers all ready trussed?" "No, better than that; he sent him a strong iron cage fifteen feet square, very solid. This was shipped on board a cutter commanded by Captain Littlestone, and I was entrusted with the task of erecting it on shore, whilst an express was sent off to Sir Marmaduke." "Ah!" said Jack, "I begin to understand now."
"The Desert Dervishes," they would call themselves, and their chief songs would be those popular ditties, "In my Trailer," and "What Price Hair-pins Now?" They decided to begin with small seaside places, and gradually, as they gained confidence, attack larger centres. To begin with they selected Littlestone in Kent, chiefly because of its unassuming name.
The dilemma was consequently reduced to this position either Willis was mad, or Captain Littlestone was on board the Boudeuse. In all other respects, Willis was perfectly sane.
After tea the younger children played in the charge of nurses; the elder children, to the extreme delight of Pollyooly, who loved to run fleetly, disported themselves in more swift and violent games. She had much to tell the Honourable John Ruffin on his return from Littlestone. He congratulated her warmly on their début.
Questions were asked in the House which the Speaker ruled out of order. Furious articles, inviting denial, appeared in the Liberal Press; but Vennard took not the slightest notice. He spent his time between his office in Whitehall and the links at Littlestone, dropping into the House once or twice for half an hour's slumber while a colleague was speaking.
"He is going to discharge it," cried Fritz boom. Then a second shot reverberated in the air. "If Captain Littlestone be within hearing of that signal, he will be sure to reply to it." said Becker. "Listen!" They hushed themselves in silence, each retaining his respiration, as if their object had been to hear the sound of a fly's wing rather than the report of a cannon.
Everything being prepared, the departure was fixed for the next day: the sloop, with the blue Peter at the fore, was ready, as soon as the anchor was weighed, to continue her voyage. The cargo had been stowed under hatches. Becker had just given the farewell dinner to Captain Littlestone and Lieutenant Dunsley, his second in command.
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