"All right," replied Gerald. "My mind's made up. But the quarter of an hour is up, too, so I must be off."
"Well, sir," asked Captain Brookes, "have you come to any conclusion?"
"I am willing, subject to certain conditions, sir," replied Gerald, firmly.
"And those are——"
"That I am to be treated with the respect due to a British naval officer; that I am not called upon to perform any duties prejudicial to my country——"
"That I have already suggested."
"That I may be allowed to dispatch a communication to the Admiralty stating the circumstances under which I am detained here; and, lastly, that my friend Jack Stockton may be allowed to remain here with me, that being his own desire."
"I agree to your requests," replied Captain Brookes, though Tregarthen noted that he used the word "requests" instead of his expression "conditions."
"Very good, sir."
"You quite understand that my orders are to be implicitly obeyed?"