But I listened to them.

I couldn't make out all they said, but I could tell that they were saying all sorts of things about those other people, and trying to settle which lady the gentleman was married to, and they made a big mistake, too, for they said the small lady was the one." "How do you know they were wrong ?" I said.
"Why, I went to the gentleman and asked him.

I guess he ought to know.
And now, if you'll come up there, I'd just like to show those people that they can't talk out loud about the other passengers and have nobody know what they're saying." "You want to go there and talk French, so as to show them that you understand it ?" said I.
"Yes," answered Corny, "that's just it." "All right; come along," said I."They may be glad to find out that you know what they're talking about." And so we all went to the upper deck, Rectus as willing as anybody to see the fun.
Corny seated herself on a little stool near the yellow-legged party, the men of which had put down their guns for a time.

Rectus and I sat on the forward railing, near her.

Directly she cleared her throat, and then, after looking about her on each side, said to me, in very distinct tones: "_Voy-ezz vows cett hommy ett ses ducks femmys seelah ?_"[B] I came near roaring out laughing, but I managed to keep my face straight, and said: "_Oui._" "Well, then,--I mean _Bean donk lah peetit femmy nest pah lah femmy due hommy.