“Oh, no, you wouldn’t,” said Bates. “I am captain now.”
“What’s that you say?”
“Nay, you needn’t curse and swear, Jack; I’m telling you the truth.”
“But that ain’t the truth.”
“Yes it is.”
“No it ain’t, you old liar.”
“Look at this, then,” said old Bates, pulling out twelve warrants cancelled, “do you know what these mean?”
“Why, those are the death warrants that Colonel Blood had when he went down to Darlington!”
“I know it.”
“But he had thirteen, not twelve.”