Talbot dropped the knife. "At your orders," he said. "I yield as your prisoner."
"I Yield as Your Prisoner"
The other man caught up a rope and soon had the prisoner's hands bound behind him.
"Take him up on deck," said the captain. "And send two of the sailors down here to me."
The other officer marched Talbot up the companionway. Michael followed. On deck the officer stepped away from his prisoner long enough to speak to one of the sailors. While he was doing this Talbot whispered to Michael. "Get ashore," he whispered, "and tell the magistrate at St. Mary's what has happened. Then get word if you can to Sir William Talbot and to my wife."
It was dark on deck, a murky evening. Michael slipped over to the side of the ship, found the rope-ladder, and crawled down it to where the fisherman was still waiting in his boat. He didn't like to leave his master in the hands of his enemies, but he knew that Talbot wanted to be obeyed.
"Mr. Talbot is going to stay on board," Michael said to the boatman. "You're to row me to shore."