When he read the unsigned letter he was furious.
"Am I captain? Am I sub-acting commodore? And should a privateersman order me about, and not even give his name? No, no, sir. Go back to your captain and tell him that an insult to me is an insult to the flag. I'll not see him. I'll not take any notice of him. It may be all a plot to capture me."
We have transcribed the substance of the message sent back to the Caroline; the real message would not look well in print, and certainly would not read well in a refined assembly.
The boat started back to the Caroline, and Decatur shouted another volley of anathemas at the receding crew.
Had the men sent by Tempest known the captain better, they would have waited until the explosion had passed off, and then they would have had another message to take back.
"Lower a boat!" he cried, when the Caroline's boat was nearly back. "Row me over to that vessel. I'll show them that I cannot be insulted with impunity."
Tempest had no intention of insulting so gallant an officer, but he was afraid to use his own name, for fear the captain would think it unbecoming to acknowledge a man who had resigned from the navy.
At the same time that the boat put off from the United States, one left the Lively Bee, and the distance being shorter, the latter reached the Caroline first.
"Merry Christmas to you, Tempest!" exclaimed Harry Vernon, as he leaped on deck.
"I had forgotten what day it was, but the same compliment to you, sir."