The king, propped up in bed, was flushed with anger; but when he perceived it was not Captain Jack, to whom he had given the ring, he appeared the more amazed.
The door was closed upon Ned and Garnet, but the half sleepy page, in revenge for being awakened from sleep, listened at the door and heard all he could.
Ned Warbeck, in a few words, explained all that had happened that night, and about his finding the ring.
The king seemed at first very much annoyed, but he laughed off the matter, and said upon his word that the story about his intruding into Ellen Harmer’s chamber in Colonel Blood’s mansion was all a fiction.
“Call to-morrow at the levée,” said he, “and I will see that justice is done both to you and the injured maid; but to-night I am weary. No, not to-morrow; I forgot there is no levée until Thursday, so that you will have ample time to arrange everything to your satisfaction. And in token of how much I appreciate your valour in the affair of to-night with the gang of that rascal, Captain Jack, and the terrible Skeleton Crew, I fully pardon from all transgressions whoever aided you in defeating the villains.”
“Thanks, your majesty. But what document have we to prove it?” said Ned.
“Give me pen, ink, and paper.”
These were found upon a side table.
With a hurried scrawl, the king wrote down a few words, granting a free pardon for all officers in favour of those who had assisted Ned and Garnet.
Moreover, he signed the paper, and sealed it with his own signet ring and gave it to Ned.