Joseph scribbled in shorthand and looked up, all ears for the rest of the tale.

“Dear Sir,” Carrington continued, “I have the honor to inform the department that I conducted an interview today with three United States citizens, who presented themselves to me to report that their companion, also a U.S. citizen, was the victim of a knife attack in the port of Cárdenas, Republic of Cuba, on or about the tenth ultimate. The victim, Mr. Willard Terhune”—the consul again glanced at his notes—“age twenty years, a resident of Boston, Massachusetts, died as a result of his wounds approximately five hours after the alleged assault occurred. His death took place, according to the information supplied to me, on a Cuban vessel, La Esperanza, while it was in Cuban coastal waters, bound for Havana from Cárdenas. Those reporting this incident knew the alleged assailant, Francisco Casamayor, and they believe that he was about fifteen years old.… All correct so far?” asked Carrington, looking at Nathaniel.

“Yes, sir.”

Carrington then resumed dictating. “I was informed of this incident by three brothers, Nathaniel Braithwaite, sixteen, Eliot Braithwaite, fifteen, and Andrew Braithwaite, thirteen. They gave their residence in the United States as 239 Marlborough Street, Boston, where they live with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus Braithwaite. Henceforth, for the sake of convenience, they shall be referred to as ‘the informants.’ I wish to apprise the department of the following before going on. First, the informants and Mr. Terhune comprised the crew of a schooner, the Double Eagle, which is the property of the informants’ father. Nathaniel Braithwaite was the captain and Mr. Terhune the navigator on a voyage from Maine to the Florida Keys, where their vessel was caught in the hurricane of the fifth ultimate and driven into the Bay of Cárdenas, where it ran aground and eventually had to be abandoned. Second, because the informants arrived in Cuba as a result of shipwreck, they were unable to supply to me passports or other documents identifying them as U.S. citizens; however, after speaking to them at length, I am satisfied that they are. Third, after sojourning in Cárdenas for several days, the informants and Mr. Terhune accepted an offer to sail to Havana aboard the aforesaid La Esperanza, their intention being to secure passage from Havana back to the United States. Fourth, although one of the informants, Andrew Braithwaite, saw Mr. Terhune engaged in conversation with the aforesaid Francisco just prior to La Esperanza’s departure from Cárdenas, none of them witnessed the alleged assault on Mr. Terhune. Their claim that Francisco attacked him with a knife is based upon a puncture wound they observed in his lower abdomen, and on a statement they said Mr. Terhune made to them immediately prior to his death, to wit: ‘Francisco stabbed me.’ ” Carrington paused to mop his brow with a handkerchief. “Do you have all that, Joseph? Am I going too fast?”