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"
"I've been the whole afternoon at them--confound them!" declared the
owner of the _Lola_ with a laugh. "But, of course, I didn't want to make
a lot of errors in spelling. These Italians are so very punctilious."
"Well, you certainly did the right thing to thank the Admiral," I said.
"It's very unusual for him to send out torpedo-boats to help a vessel in
distress. That is generally left to the harbor tug."
"Yes, I feel that it was most kind of him. That's why I took all the
trouble to write. I don't understand a word of Italian, neither does
Chater."
"But you have Italians on board?" I remarked. "The two sailors who rowed
me out are Genoese, from their accent."
Hornby and Chater exchanged glances--glances of distinct uneasiness, I
thought.
Then the owner of the _Lola_ said--
"Yes, they are useful for making arrangements and buying things in
Italian ports. We have a Spaniard, a Greek, and a Syrian, all of whom
act as interpreters in different places."
"And make a handsome thing in the way of secret commissions, I suppose?"
I laughed.


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