Am I
not meant to understand from this that I must give up all hope of ever
recovering my liberty?
Engineer Serko had manifestly remarked the impression created upon me
by this revelation. I remember that on leaving me he went towards Ker
Karraje's habitation, no doubt with the intention of apprising him of
what had passed.
After a rather long walk around the lagoon I am about to return to my
cell, when I hear footsteps behind me. I turn and find myself face to
face with the Count d'Artigas, who is accompanied by Captain Spade.
He glances at me sharply, and in a burst of irritation that I cannot
suppress, I exclaim:
"You are keeping me here, sir, against all right. If it was to wait
upon Thomas Roch that you carried me off from Healthful House, I
refuse to attend to him, and insist upon being sent back."
The pirate chief makes a gesture, but does not reply.
Then my temper gets the better of me altogether.
"Answer me, Count d'Artigas--or rather, for I know who you are--answer
me, Ker Karraje!" I shout.
"The Count d'Artigas is Ker Karraje," he coolly replies, "just as
Warder Gaydon is Engineer Simon Hart; and Ker Karraje will never
restore to liberty Engineer Simon Hart, who knows his secrets."
CHAPTER XI.
FIVE WEEKS IN BACK CUP.
The situation is plain. Ker Karraje knows who I am. He knew who I was
when he kidnapped Thomas Roch and his attendant.
How did this man manage to find out what I was able to keep from the
staff of Healthful House? How comes it that he knew that a French
engineer was performing the duties of attendant to Thomas Roch? I do
not know how he discovered it, but the fact remains that he did.
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