"Isn't it strange that you should have remembered it just at that time?" questioned Butler sharply.
"Why, no," answered the girl regarding him with wide open eyes. "I have heard my father speak of Uncle Ben all my life, and when New Orleans was mentioned I always thought of him. So I said that I was coming to see Uncle Ben when I was truly bringing the papers to Mr. Archer. Father thought it was best."
"I don't know, sir." Jeanne looked at him so innocently that he was compelled to believe her.
"Well, you at least, are innocent, I do believe. Now, child, what else did you bring? Anything for your uncle?"
"I brought him some quinine," answered Jeanne half laughing. "Father had it fixed for me in my lunch basket. He said if I should fall in with the rebels and they questioned me too closely I was to own up about it. See! here is the basket. The quinine is right down in this place."
"I don't understand about the thing," said the General in a low tone to the Admiral. "The girl is either the most innocent person in the world and everything is exactly as she says, or she is a consummate actress, young as she is."
"General, what in the world do you mean?" queried Farragut.
"I mean," said General Butler sternly, "that it looks very much to me as if some mischief were afloat. John Archer is under arrest for disloyalty to the government. Naturally this makes it bad for the girl."
"Then," said Farragut gravely, "why did you permit him to have those papers?"
"He will not have them long. Did you not notice an Orderly go out after him?"
"I saw a man go out, but I thought nothing of it," was the response.
"That man has his orders. Archer was relieved of the papers as soon as he left the room. I wanted to get all the evidence against him that I could hence I did not tell you about the matter at first. I thought that he might recognize the girl or she him."
"I believe that you are wrong," said Farragut earnestly. "I know nothing of course about Archer, but I would stake my life that what the girl says is true. It would be bold indeed to deliver documents serviceable to the enemy under our very noses."
"The very boldness of the scheme would make it successful. Besides, the fellow's arrest is recent. His accomplices in the North cannot possibly have heard of it as yet. He has been in the service of the Union until suspected of furnishing information to the enemy. You can see why the girl would deliver the papers before us. Another thing, her uncle, Benjamin Vance, is one of the worst rebels in the city."