“Quite right,” said Captain Jack, mollified, and drawing the patch over his eye still lower.
“But you see, Captain Bates, as an officer of the crown, you are fully aware that all sorts of knaves have tried to rob the gallant colonel ere now, and at this time, I fear me he has a greater enemy to contend with than ever before; for I heard to-night, as a very great secret, that Captain Jack is no longer the chief of the crown officers, and has been degraded by the colonel; in truth, we have especial orders to guard the place against him and his gang above all others.”
“Captain Jack, eh?” said Bates’s long-legged companion. “Ah! now I come to think of it, I heard something like that spoken of to-night, while attending the Countess of Gresham’s ball; a great villain that Captain Jack, I hear.”
“Oh, monstrous,” said the watchmen, in chorus. “Oh, a perfect rogue and vagabond. Instead of doing his duty in arresting rogues and rascals, he has been bribed to enormous amounts by them to allow them to remain at large.”
“Shocking! monstrous!” said Jack.
“Horrible! he ought to be hanged,” said Bates, coughing, “which he will surely be, if the colonel only lays hands on him.”
So speaking, and bidding them good night, Jack and Bates went on their way, laughing.
“Fine fellow that Bates,” said one of the watchmen.
“Yes; only for his nose; why, it has got a piece clipped out of it, which spoils his beauty.”
“He got that in a desperate duel—I once heard him say—but he killed his antagonist, run him through and through the body; fine fellow is Bates. How much did he give you to drink his health with?”