"What would you, noble sir?" he quavered.
"This: I am after a bigger prize than your beggarly cargo or the lives of your rascal crew. Give me what I want, and I let you go free."
Messer Nicholas picked up courage.
"I will pay any price in reason," he replied.
"I want no price," the corsair roared back. "You have three voyagers on board. They are no friends of yours. I have an interest in them. Deliver them to me—or suffer me to come and take them—and I will do you no harm."
Messer Nicholas hesitated and cast an evil look at his three passengers.
"Careful, Messer Nicholas," said Hugh softly. "You are on dangerous ground."
"Fair sir, I would do you no harm," clamoured the shipman. "Indeed, and I would not. But what choice is a man to make in such a case? I cannot sacrifice the lives of all my crew."
At these words, his men rallied around him, obviously in complete agreement with his sentiments. Hugh tried again.
"Your names would be infamous an it became known you had driven such a bargain," he declared. "More, you would be hung by the King's men."