“You have seen me once before,” said Holmes, “and know I have authority. What has the commandant to say to me.”
“I am in the service of the Dutch republic. When you passed up the river, on your way to this place, I warned you to strike and stay. You refused, and kept on your course! I was not in a position then to enforce my commands. I had even made up my mind to tolerate you, as well as I might. But, since you have been here, the riot and disturbance caused by your men are beyond the power of my nature to endure longer.”
“Of what do you complain?”
“You are a cheating set.”
“Ah!”
“You sell my men horses which are good for nothing.”
“They ought to know better than to buy.”
“But they don’t. Your men make a very bad horse look beautiful. There is one vagabond among you whom I will give forty stripes save one, if he ever comes to Good Hope. I have sworn it.”
“What is his name?”