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Looking down the street, they saw a dignified-looking gentleman approaching, whom they supposed to be the consul, Mr. Alwayn. He did not seem to be alarmed at the demonstration in front of his office. The disturbers of the peace fell back as he advanced, and he reached the door where the detective and his companion were standing without being attacked.
George's that she would get her supplies and cargo on board to-day and to-morrow, and will sail before dark to-morrow night," replied Mr. Alwayn. "The government here ought not to allow her to remain even as long as that, for she is plainly intended for a Confederate cruiser, and my men inform me that she has six great guns, and fifty men."
The detective took his papers from the belt, and read the names of the steamers, and the ports for which they were bound. "They were a very obliging lot of blockade-runners," said the captain, laughing heartily at the freedom with which they had spoken. "I don't suppose there is an American in the Bermudas at the present time besides Mr. Alwayn, the consul," added the detective.
She is a woman; and I think that steamer was a woman-of-war." The consul laughed heartily, but insisted upon the feminine designation of the steamer. "What you call ze name of ze man-of-war?" asked M. Rubempré, putting on a very puzzled expression of countenance. "The Dornoch," replied Mr. Alwayn. "The D'Ornoch," added the detective.
Alwayn explained why he had incurred the hostility of the blockade-runners and their adherents, for he was sometimes compelled to protest against what he regarded as breaches of neutrality, and was obliged in the discharge of his duty to look after these people very closely, so that he was regarded as a spy. "Oh! it was ze blockheads, was it?" exclaimed the Frenchman.
Taking his place, two others pushed forward, and aimed various blows at the two defenders of the position; but both of them were skilled in this sort of play, and warded off the strokes, delivering telling blows in the faces of the enemy. Mr. Alwayn had partially closed the door; but he was not so cowardly as to shut out his two volunteer defenders.
M. Rubempré was entirely cool and self-possessed, which could hardly be said of the young naval officer. By this time Mr. Alwayn had opened the front door of the office, and gone in. The detective backed in after him, and then pushed Christy in after the consul. The ruffians saw that they were losing their game, and they rushed upon the door.
Alwayn conducted his defenders to his office, where he thanked them heartily for the service they had rendered him. During the mélee M. Rubempré had tried to address the ruffians in broken French, for he did not for a moment forget his assumed character. He used the same "pigeon-talk" to the consul, and Christy, in the little he said, adopted the same dialect.
"I see you are not Americans, my friends," said the official. "No, saire; we are some Frenchmen," replied the detective, spreading out his two hands in a French gesture, and bowing very politely. "Being Frenchmen, I am not a little surprised that you should have undertaken to defend me from this assault," added Mr. Alwayn.
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