“Your captain, in his dispatches to the department, puts the case in a better light. But let that pass for the present. Do you know who the pirate really is?” demanded the squire.
“No more than that he is Capt. Silver, known to us as Col. Anglesea,” said Le.
“He is neither entitled to the one name nor the other.”
“Neither Silver nor Anglesea? Who is he, then?” demanded the young commander, in surprise.
“Enderby, dear fellow! You, who can speak with authority, tell Leonidas who the man really is.”
The earl, thus entreated, turned to the young officer and told him the story of Byrne Stukely, as it is already known to our readers.
Le listened with the closest attention, and at the close of the narrative drew a deep sigh of relief and breathed forth a fervent thanksgiving.
“And so you see by what Enderby has told you, that the rascal has not now, nor ever has had, the slightest claim on the hand of Odalite, who is now, and always has been, perfectly free. There is not even any need to seek the aid of the law in her case,” said Mr. Force.
“Thank Heaven! Oh! thank Heaven!” again fervently exclaimed Le.
Then, after a pause, he asked: