"How is he?" asked the young commander, when the ship had passed out of the reach of the guns of the fort.
"He is dead!" replied the surgeon.
"Dead! Good Heaven!" exclaimed Somers, impressed by the terrible retribution which had at last overtaken the traitor.
"Yes, sir; he died a few moments since. A fragment of a shell tore open his breast and penetrated his lungs," added the surgeon.
"That's the last of him," said Lieutenant Longstone. "He will lay no more plots."
"He has been a dangerous enemy to his country," continued Somers. "If he had succeeded in running in with that vessel, he would have obtained her armament, and made terrible havoc among the merchant ships on the coast. He was a daring fellow; he was reckless at times. He told me on board of the Chatauqua that he had purchased three steamers in Scotland; this is the last one."
"Three Bens," added Tom. "Captain Somers, you have had a hand in capturing and destroying them all."
"I have; and it is really marvellous, when I think of it."
"I knew you would capture the Ben Ledi," continued the second lieutenant, exultingly.
"I did not capture her."