“If you can explain to Judith’s satisfaction, I should like to hear you do it, McAlpine,” said Miss Conyers, gravely.
“Aweel then, after our boat was picked up by the Dutchman, I took service with the captain and went the voyage to Calcutta, and then back to England. After whilk I shipped on a merchantman in St. Catherine’s docks, calling hersel’ the Sea Scourge, bound for the Indies, and sailing under the Stars and Stripes. And here I will take leave to say that being a native of Ayrshire in Scotland, I owe nae mair allegiance to the Stars and Stripes than I do to the Stars and Garters or to the Stars and Crescent—whilk last I take to be the emblem of the Turk; or to the Stars and Bars, whatever they may represent, or to the stars in conjunction with ony ither creature. It was na, however, until we overhauled a Baltimore clipper that the Sea Scourge ran up the Stars and Bars, and I kenned for the first time that I was shipped on board a preevateer. I had nae choice but to bide where I was, whilk I did until the engagement wi’ the Xyphias, when the preevateer was captured.”
“And ye fought ag’inst us, ye murthering divil,” put in Judith.
“Nay, lass, that was na my duty; I was on the foretop, and na at the guns. I helped to work the ship, that was a’; and e’en that’ wi’ nae guid will; for I aye argued wi’ mysel’ that I had been entrapped intil the service of the preevateer; but I could na help mysel’ till the fight was over. I was wounded, as ye see, by a bit splinter that struck my head, and I fell to the deck, breaking my arm and spraining my ankle.”
“Tom, is it the truth ye’re afther telling me?” inquired Judith, through her tears.
“Ay, lass; what else? D’ye think I would tell ye a lee?”
“Thin, Tom, darlint, I beg your pardon entirely for thinking ill iv ye. Troth——” And here Judith broke down and sobbed.
“Hout, tout, lass! dree your een and sae nae mair,” said Tom.
“Tom, ye’re a jewel, sure; but how came ye here at all at all, whin all the prisoners were left at Cape Town except thim that took the oath of illaygiance and shipped on the Xyphias?”
“I tould my tale to the captain, and said I would like to take service on the prize. And when I was able to leave my hammock he granted my petition and put me here.”