The French soldiers had followed them down the bank, and surrounded them as they landed.

The holes in the boat explained for themselves the cause of the disaster.
An officer stepped forward.
"You are our prisoners," he said to James.
The latter bowed.
"It is the fortune of war," he said.

"Your men are better shots than I gave them credit for," and he pointed to the holes in the boat.
He spoke in English, but the officer guessed his meaning.
Some of the Indians and Canadians soon came flocking down, and, with angry gestures, demanded that the prisoners should be shot; but the French officer waived them off, and placed a strong guard of his own men around them, to prevent their being touched by the Indians.

The young midshipman spoke French fluently, having been specially selected by the captain for that reason; but it had been agreed, between him and James, that he should not betray his knowledge of the language, as he might, thereby, pick up information which might be useful.
They were at once conducted before Bougainville.
"Do you speak French ?" he asked.
James shook his head.

The midshipman looked as if he had not understood the question.
"It is clear," the French officer said to those standing around him, "that they came in to reconnoitre the landing place, and thought, in the dim light, they could run the gauntlet of our sentries' fire.