262 FOR THE FLAG

into the lagoon by command of Count d’Artigas, and that
they were going to do the same with your other prisoner,
because as you were in possession of all his secrets—as you
have told me—you no longer wanted to be encumbered by
either him or me.”

“Really, Mr. Hart! has that thought actually entered
your brain?” exclaimed Serko, but nevertheless he did not
assume his usual tone of raillery.

“Yes! it did not remain there long, I must say, for
having removed the bandage from my eyes, I saw that
they had lowered me into one of the compartments of the
tug.”

“ That was not the tug; it was a boat of the same sort
that had entered by the tunnel.”

“A submarine boat?” I cried.

“Yes! Manned by men with orders to carry off you
and M. Roch.”

“To carry us off!” I exclaimed, still feigning surprise.

“And,” added my tormentor, “ ask you what you think
of the business ?”

“What I think of it? But it seems to me there can be
only one plausible explanation. Ifthe secret of your re-
treat has not been betrayed—and I do not see how such
treason could have been committed, nor of what impru-
dence you and the others could have been guilty—my
opinion is that this submarine boat came upon the
mouth of the tunnel by chance, that after getting through,
it rose to the surface of the lagoon, and that its crew,
astonished to find themselves in a cave containing inhabi-