"Yes, sir."
"And yet you declared it to be correct?"
"I did, sir."
"For what purpose?"
"Will you direct these others to retire out of hearing, Captain Pearson?" said Coventry, indicating the officer of the watch, the midshipman, and all of the others; and when his request had been complied with, he added: "'Twas to save the honor of your ward, my Lord, to insure happiness to the woman I love more than life, to effect the escape of the man upon whom that happiness depended."
"Have you dared, sir," said the admiral, furious with rage, "to thus derange my plans and disregard my orders, to thwart me, to interfere between a duly constituted court and its prisoner?" He stamped his foot and looked fiercely at his son.
"Me as well," said the captain; "upon the deck of my own ship--to put this dishonor upon me."
"The prisoner!" cried the admiral, impetuously. "Have him brought on deck at once, Captain Pearson."
"But your ward, my Lord; she is with him," said the captain.
"Bring her too, then," the old man answered passionately.