“And what have you done?” said Perrin.
“I’m not addressing you, Pilly.”
“Do you come as the spokesman of the men of war?” Margaret asked.
“Yes, I do, my little Maggy.”
“Gamage is a shy, retiring soul,” Perrin said.
“He isn’t a crawler, anyway.”
“Well,” Cammock said, “let’s have the message. Here’s Captain Pete waiting on us.”
“Right,” Stukeley said, sitting down at the table. “Then I’m to tell you that the men of war want to know when they’re going to have what they came for. They’re sick of doing sentry-go in the ant-heap yonder. They signed for a roving life.”
“They signed to obey our orders,” Cammock said. “They’ll get all the roving they’ve a need for soon enough.”
“So they say,” Stukeley answered. “If you don’t give it them they’ll take it, and half your crew besides.”