216 FOR THE FLAG

“With a few grains of the Roch explosive, ” replied the
other, “I undertake to reduce the oe toa ouet so fine
you will only have to blow it away.”

It is easy to understand the interest this conversation
had for me. Here was a question of opening a communi-
cation, other than the tunnel, between the interior and
exterior of Backcup. Who knows if I might not then find
an opportunity ?

As I was making this reflection Ker Karraje replied,—

“Very well, that is settled ; and if we are required one
day to defend Backcup, to prevent any vessel from
approaching, were our retreat revealed, either by chance or
intimation.”

“There is no fear of either chance or intimation,” replied
Serké.

“Not on the part of one of our companions, certainly,
but by this Simon Hart.”

“He!” cricd the engineer. “He must escape first.
And no one cscapes from Backcup! Besides, I declare,
that good fellow interests me. He isa colleague, after
all, and I always suspect that he knows more than he
admits about this invention. I shall talk to him in
such a way, that we shall end by understanding one
another. I will chat to him about physics, mechanics,
ballistics, like two chums.”

‘It does not matter,”

replied the generous and tender
Count d’Artigas. - “ When we are in the possession of the
whole secret, we might as well rid ourselves of— ”

“We have plenty of time, Ker Karraje.”