"Suppose," suggested the Admiral, relieved that the General had come to his way of thinking, "suppose you begin at the beginning and tell us all about this business. How many have you in the family?"
"Four," answered Jeanne promptly, a little comfort creeping into her heart at the change in the General's manner. "Father who works for the government, mother who is in the Monarch Relief Association, and Dick who is in the army."
"Your brother is in the Union army?" queried the General.
"That is easily verified," said the General, making a note of the fact. "Now how did you come to be sent down here?"
Jeanne recounted the circumstances of the affair rapidly not even omitting her mother's parting words of counsel. Both men listened with close attention.
"And you knew nothing whatever of your Uncle Ben?" asked Butler when she had finished.
"No, sir; father has not heard from him in many years. He will be grieved to learn that he is a rebel," and her eyes filled with tears.
"I have no doubt of it. Now, my little girl, I am going to send you to your uncle until I can look up the truth of your story."
"Couldn't you send me home?" asked the girl wistfully, a sudden yearning possessing her for the refuge of her mother's arms.
"I will soon. There are dangers by land and by sea, and, as your father told you to wait until you heard from him, I think that it would be wise to do so. It will be best for you to see for yourself what manner of man your uncle is so that you can tell your father. Good-bye," and he held out his hand. "Come in to see me sometimes while you are here."
"Good-bye," said Jeanne, shaking hands with him as in duty bound. She gave him a look of reproach and then turned to Farragut.
"This has been a hard trial for you, child," said the Admiral. "You have come through with colors flying though. I believe that you always will."
"It has taught me," said the girl with quivering lips, "that there are worse things than cannon balls and grape shot. I would rather face Vicksburg a dozen times than to go through this again."
"Don't take it too much to heart." Farragut patted her hand with great gentleness. "It was a severe ordeal, but truth will always prevail. Just think what it would have been had you really been guilty. Your conscience at least was clear."