The suspicions in regard to Captain Flint had reached the ears of Rosenthrall, as well as others, who had been secretly concerned with him in his smuggling transactions, although in no way mixed up with his piracies.
Rosenthrall feared that in case these suspicions against Flint should lead to his arrest, the whole matter would come out and be exposed, leading to the disgrace if not the ruin, of all concerned.
It was therefore with a feeling of relief, while joining in the general expression of horror, that he heard of a most terrible piracy having been committed on the coast. Captain Flint's vessel was lying in port, and he was known to be in the city.
There was one thing too connected with this affair that seemed to prove conclusively, that the suspicions heretofore harboured against the captain were unjust.
And that was the report brought by the crew of a fishing smack, that they had seen a schooner answering to the description given of the pirate, just before this horrible occurrence took place.
Captain Flint now assumed the bearing of a man whose fair fame had been purified of some foul blot stain that had been unjustly cast upon it, one who had been honorably acquitted of base charges brought against him by enemies who had sought his ruin.
He had not been ignorant, he said, of the dark suspicions that had been thrown out against him.
But he had trusted to time to vindicate his character, and he had not trusted in vain.
Among the first to congratulate Captain Flint on his escape from the danger with which he had been threatened, was Carl Rosenthrall.
He admitted that he had been to some extent, tainted with suspicion, in common with others, for which he now asked his forgiveness.