Ned Warbeck, in a few words, stated the circumstances above mentioned.
“Young man,” resumed the captain, “you stand charged with having fired at one of my men; of this I will keep little or no account, it was, as you might rightly observe, in self-defence. You have proved yourself bold and worthy of your profession. Many others have been driven from the landlord’s house by the same means.
“Though under very little fear of detection, as the entrance to our subterranean dwellings is known to no others but to ourselves, we have, nevertheless, thought it advisable to adopt some method of screening ourselves more effectually.
“We resolved to render that house uninhabitable.
“We bought it, but not being known in the neighbourhood, and never going out by night, and that only once a month to buy provisions, we deemed it useless, and therefore concocted the plan which you have witnessed, and which you must own requires as stout a heart as your own to withstand.
“The man whom you fired at, unaccustomed to such resistance, against which, however, he was well provided, having upon him a thick steel armour and fire-arms, thought it necessary to entice you to the trap-door, and bring you among us with your servant you may think his conduct impudent, such is also our opinion of it.
“At the first notice of your arrest, we were both surprised and astounded.
“We took council together; you were at first doomed to perpetual imprisonment in one of the vaults, or to be immediately put to death.
“At length your youth and courage prevailed, and it was resolved that you should be set at liberty, if you agree to the following conditions.
“First, you must swear by what is most sacred to a sailor, your honour, never to mention to any one what you have seen here this night, not even to give the slightest hint about it.