“Yes; and from the time the master and mate of the Kitty were captured by Silver they were never allowed to meet. Roland, who had been wounded, was kept below in the cockpit. Silver told Capt. Grandiere that Bayard had decided to take service with him, and did not wish to see his old captain for fear of unpleasant words. Silver was near the English coast, and he sent a boat ashore at night and landed the old skipper on a remote beach in Cornwall, and left him to find his way to London as best he might.”
“But how did you find out all this, Uncle Abel?” inquired Le, unable to get over his amazement.
“Grandiere went up to London on a third-class train, found his correspondents, told his story, got what money he wanted, and engaged passage on the Asia from Liverpool to New York. We came over on the same steamer. That is how we came to know it.”
“Where is Capt. Grandiere now?” inquired Le.
“In Washington, staying at the same hotel with us. You may judge our surprise, and his triumph, when on reaching New York, three days since, we learned that the blockade runner Argente had been captured by the United States man-of-war Eagle, and had been sent home as a prize, under the command of Lieut. Force. We came down to Washington by the first train—I and my party—to see you and Roland; but Capt. Grandiere avowedly to prove Silver to be a pirate, and to hang him. Capt. Grandiere will now also be able to prove that young Roland Bayard was captured by the pirates at the same time that his ship, the Kitty, was taken, and he, the skipper, taken prisoner. Capt. Grandiere’s evidence must vindicate Roland Bayard.”
“Oh! if it only could! But, uncle, if Roland will not deny that he was a voluntary member of the pirate crew?”
“He will deny it, when he knows the pirate lied to him and deceived him, and has no claim whatever to his forbearance, much less to his duty or affection,” said Mr. Force.
It was growing late, and Mr. Force arose to go.
“Uncle,” said Le, “why cannot you and the earl stay on board with me to-night? I can send a man with a note to the hotel to let the ladies know where you are, and I can make you up most comfortable berths in this cabin. And to-morrow we can all three go and breakfast with our friends,” pleaded the young man.
“Le, my lad, I should like it extremely, but I cannot speak for Enderby,” replied the squire.