"Are these men to be hanged without trial?"
"Col. Allen, you are a brave man, and can face the worst. I am told, though I ought not to tell you, that the American rebels have gained several advantages lately, and the British authorities are determined to stamp out the rebellion; so——" He paused. The man was ashamed to utter what he had heard. Gathering courage from Allen's silence he continued: "We are told that no prisoners are to be treated as prisoners of war, but as outlaws and rebels, to shoot whom will be considered a meritorious act."
"And the object?"
"Can you not see? It is to strike terror into the rebels."
"So be it! But, mark me, I speak as a rebel, but also as a man, and I tell you that for every American hanged without due process of law, ten Englishmen shall die. Do not mistake me! I shall be a free man again, and shall make England suffer. The leaders of the Americans, called by you rebels, will know of this murder and will avenge it."
The British officer made no reply, but waved his hand to the sergeant, who removed the ill-fated fifteen.
By some chance Allen had omitted Eben's name from the fifteen, and while he regretted it at first, he was more than pleased now that the oversight had occurred.
When the prisoners were removed to their part of the lower deck, Eben managed to get close to Allen.
"You don't think they will hang those?" he asked.
"I do not know, my boy. I think they are vile enough for anything."