One of them, however, deemed it advisable to save himself at the expense of the others and betrayed the plan. The prisoners had already managed to file through their chains. Afterwards they were watched day and night.
Scudamore had been left on the Royal Fortune, where he was permitted liberty to move about to care for the wounded pirates, so far as they would permit.
One night Scudamore instigated them to free themselves with his aid, and die fighting rather than be executed. The conspiracy was discovered at the moment of the outbreak and, that it might not be repeated, on reaching the land a trial was held at once in order to make short work of the pirates.
They were divided into two classes, one containing the officers, the other the men; the former had ordered everything, the latter had merely executed their commands. The first was jestingly called the Upper House. The trial of the Upper House ended badly. All were condemned to death; among them Moody, Asphlant, Simpson and Scudamore. Only one was acquitted—Henry Glasby. His noble character was known by reputation; many owed their lives and property to his intercession; he had often attempted, at the risk of his life, to escape from the pirates, but was always captured. The court released him. At last he could join his promised bride.
The end of the notorious band of pirates was noised abroad throughout the entire world. Three young girls went in turn to every church in Dublin, offering grateful thanks to Heaven for having heard their petitions and sunk the terrible corsair king in the sea. Then, in a whisper, they added: "And protect our beloved William, restore him to us."
Robert Barthelemy lay a hundred fathoms beneath the waves amid the coral and sea-shells.
The End
[Transcriber's Note: The original edition of this text was typeset with unindented paragraphs, making it sometimes unclear whether a sentence begins a new paragraph or not.
The following typographical errors present in the original text have been corrected.