“My dear sir, your offense is against international law. No man is allowed to place floating mines in a river up which a British steamer may ascend, and so far as that is concerned, you deliberately put them there to wreck a British steamer. You are at this moment commanding a pirate ship filled with stolen ore.”
“I know nothing about that, sir. This ship was chartered, and I was told by my owners to obey the orders of them that chartered her, and that’s old Schwartzbrod and his gang.”
“We’re merely losing time, captain. You talk about charters and owners. Well, I am the owner of the Rajah. I bought her from Sparling & Bilge.”
“So you say. That’s nothing to do with me. Even if you bought the ship, you are bound by law to carry out the charter. Till a charter runs out and isn’t renewed, owners are helpless. I obey the charter while it holds, and as long as I do that I’m doing nothing wrong.”
“You are perfectly well aware of what you are doing. I am convinced of that. You were not born yesterday. Now, you are not sailing toward Portugal, you are sailing toward a policeman, and it is from that policeman I wish to save you.”
“Oh, yes, you’d like to get possession of the ship and cargo for yourself, wouldn’t you?” sneered the captain.
“Yes, exactly.”
“Well, you won’t get it!” cried the master angrily, bringing his huge fist down on the table. “Talk to me of thieving! What are you? Why, you’re a pirate, that’s what you are. I said so to Frowningshield, and he wouldn’t believe me. He thought you wouldn’t dare come aboard of me on the high seas; that you knew better. You and your policeman! Why, damn it all, I’d be justified in hanging you from the yardarm!”
“You couldn’t do that, captain,” protested Stranleigh, with great mildness.
“Why couldn’t I?”