"What have French privateers to do with me?" he asked.
"There is one at anchor in the stream just opposite the wharf where your ship is taking in her merchandise. She was fitted out in the early winter, I believe, but received her letter-of-marque from Citizen Genêt only a few days ago. She was once of Lewes, in Delaware, and was called the Horatio Gates. Now she is known as Le Mousquet."
Anthony stirred at this, but he said nothing.
"Well?" demanded Mr. Stroude.
"I'm told she is mostly manned by Americans of whom we have no reason to be proud. It came to Mr. Baily's ears to-day that the ship was taking a great interest in yours, and so he became alarmed. He could not forget, you see, that you are British-born and are still a subject of the king; and while the Eclipse is an American ship her cargo is British owned."
Mr. Stroude snorted,
"Rubbish!" said he. "Utter rubbish! Mr. Baily sees an opportunity to get a higher rate from me; and I'll warrant that occupies him more than the chance of a parcel of pirates seizing my goods. But I shall see him before the day is done, and when I do, sir, let him expect some very plain speech from me." Then Mr. Stroude went grumpily toward the door. "British subject! Did I ever try to hide it? For what does the man take me? And pirates! Good God, one would think we were carrying on business on some spot of an island in the Carribbees."
This conversation stirred Anthony's interest sharply; he meant to go into the matter with Mr. Sparhawk, and also into the older and even more engaging affair of the Sea Mew; but before he could do so the attention of Mr. Sparhawk was claimed elsewhere, and so he was forced to await a further occasion.
Upon reaching the counting-room on Water Street, Anthony saw Tom Horn re-nibbing a pen by a window; the spring sunshine flooded him, but, for all that, the impression Anthony got of him was of a wan coldness, a luminous, spectral quality such as can be seen in the breaking sea of a summer night. The man paused in his cutting of the pen as Anthony approached; and he said:
"Have I ever told you how I was wrecked when I sailed in the William and Mary?"