Now it was that Nathaniel Hubbard found his tongue. He who should have welcomed death as a means of hiding him from view of those who had trusted him, begged piteously for life, knowing full well the people of Presque Isle would take the law in their own hands once his perfidy was known.
“Pray to Captain Dobbins that I be confined on board this ship!” he cried to the soldier who had brought us the command. “Entreat him by the friendship of former days not to deliver me into the keeping of those who would shed my blood!”
Tears stood in the traitor’s eyes, so great was his fear, and I turned my head away, not caring to look at that which was so disagreeable, for there was no pity in my heart toward one who would sell his countrymen.
“Go, and repeat what he has said to Captain Dobbins,” Alec commanded the soldier, and the latter obeyed, returning a few moments later with the word:
“He is to be confined on board this vessel. You lads are to go into the cabin.”
We obeyed right willingly, for neither of us cared to remain while our prisoner was being taken on board, and having gone below into Captain Perry’s cabin, we were called upon to give a detailed account of our forenoon’s work.
When the story was finished my father sent us on deck again, neither he nor Alec’s brother making any comment, and once there we saw that the traitor’s boat was empty. He had been disposed of in some fashion which did not concern us, so that there was no possibility of his being able to carry further information to the enemy.
Old Silas, the gunner, met us near the companionway, clasping each by the hand as he said, with more feeling than I had believed it possible for him to display:—
“You have done good work this day, lads, but unwittingly caused sorrow to many in Presque Isle; for there be no honest man who will feel other than deepest distress because of findin’ a trusted neighbor to be a villain.”
“Would it have pleased you better, Master Boyd, if we had let him go free?” Alec asked.