He may rebuff us. On the other
hand, there's a chance that he will not. You remember that he began,
yesterday, by offering you this way of escape. You are to take me
with you and beg for a renewal of that offer. Maybe he'll demur.
You'll then point out that you have two men's service to tender him
in lieu of one. I _have_ smelt powder in my time, Jack, and I once
had the luck to run De Ruyter's pet captain through the sword-arm and
to carry his ship. It's the very devil that I never could master the
fellow's Dutch name sufficiently to remember it; but his Majesty--who
has a greater grasp of his mother tongue--may be able to recall it,
and the recollection may turn the scale. Anyhow, we'll try."
"You can serve this William?"
"I can; for the matter stands thus: We go and say, 'Your Majesty has
laid hands on a young man. Will it please your Majesty to take two
old men in exchange?' We're a couple of old hulks, Jack; but we may
serve, as well as a youngster, to be battered by the French."
"But suppose that this plot breaks out?--I mean that which the Earl
hinted at."
"My friend, that proposal may be divided into two parts. The first
is mutiny; the second is desertion to the French. How do you like
them? Could you stand by and help either?"
"Why, no," answered Captain Barker, with a brightening face;
"because, after all, one could always die first.
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