“Then you will give me my liberty?”
“What for?—to go away and return with another and better-manned ship to take us and serve the captain of the schooner as I have served you?”
“No. I wish to return home.”
“What for?”
“Surely you cannot expect me to wish to stay here!”
“Why do you wish to go home to meet disgrace?”
Humphrey started at having his own words repeated.
“To be tried by court martial for the loss of your ship! Stay where you are, sir, and grow strong and well.”
“If I stay here, sir, when I have full liberty to go, shall I not be playing the part of the coward you called me when I was beaten down?”
“You will not have full liberty to go, Captain Armstrong,” said his captor, quietly. “You forget that you are a prisoner.”