"All you can do," Ned said, "is to delay the trial, and the execution, if it comes to that."
The officer who had made the arrest, after failing to seize the boat, now approached the Lieutenant and said something to him in a low tone.
"What?" the latter almost screamed. "You let the boat get away?"
"They were too quick for us," was the reply.
"Too quick for you?" howled the Lieutenant. "Do you know what you've done? You've ruined all my plans—the plans of the government. Inefficiency is worse than open disobedience, and you may consider yourself under arrest!"
The officer saluted and turned away, a scowl on his face.
"There is a likely man to talk with first," Ned suggested to the sailor. "He will doubtless listen to you."
The Lieutenant now turned sharply toward the prisoners.
"What's going on there?" he demanded. "What are you talking to that pirate for?" he added, approaching Ben threateningly.
"Trying to see what I could get out of him, sir," Ben replied, saluting.