“My lord,” he answered, “as long as I was on board my schooner, we sought no other shelter than that which was afforded us by the high and wide seas.”
The commander looked at Appadocca fiercely in the eyes.
“I should be sorry,” he said, “to suspect you of falsehood or prevarication, since you have been the fellow-student of my son: but your answer is vague and unsatisfactory. Do you mean to say that you have no harbour, no creek whither you were accustomed to resort, after your piratical cruizes?”
“None, my lord: after our ‘piratical cruizes,’ as you, I dare say justly, call them, we were in the habit of taking our booty for sale to the nearest port and of depending upon our own skill and watchfulness for safety.”
“Hum!” muttered the commander, after a pause, “you are aware, sir, that one of my officers has been kidnapped by your rascally associates, as I presume them to be,” continued the commander, with his temper evidently breaking through the composed dignity which he endeavoured to retain.
“Now, sir, the punishment that I should feel justified in inflicting upon you, would be to have you hanged, at once, on that yard,” and he pointed to the main yard.
“My lord,” calmly replied Appadocca, “I am in your power, the yard is before you, you have men at your command, do whatever you may choose with me.”
The commander looked at him steadfastly for a moment or two.
“D—n him!” he muttered, and turned away.