That distinguished servant of His Majesty, King George, had meantime drawn on his trowsers, and he now lighted a little oil lamp, which threw a wretched apology for light a few feet into the surrounding darkness.
"Now then," said the officer, in no very pleasant tones, "What do you want with me at this time o' night?
Who are you, and where do you come from ?" Jake was so nervous that he found it impossible to find a place at which to begin his story, and the impatient Lieutenant spurred him with direct questions.
"What's your name ?" he asked.

"You can tell that, can't you ?" "Yes, sir," faltered Jake.
[Illustration: "SPEAK, MAN! OR I CHOKE YOU."] "Well, tell it then, and be quick about it." "My name is Jacob Elliott," said that worthy, fairly gasping for breath in his embarrassment.
"Oh! you do know your name, then," said the officer.

"Now, then, where do you come from ?" "From Alabama," answered Jake.
"From Alabama! the mischief you do! You're an American then?
What the mischief are you doing here ?" "Oh, sir, that's just what I want to tell you about, if you'll let me." "If I'll _let_ you?
Ain't I doing my very best to _make_ you?
Havn't I been worming your facts out of you with a corkscrew?
But you'd better be quick about giving an account of yourself.

If you don't give a pretty satisfactory one, too, I'll arrest you as a _spy_,--a _spy_, my good fellow, do you understand?
_A spy_, and we hang that sort o' people.

Come, be quick." "Spies! that's just it, Lieutenant.