"
"And, Mr. Powis, what is your opinion?"
"I fear," said Paul, smiling coldly, "that I should have knocked him down
on the spot."
"Templemore, are you, too, of this way of thinking?"
"I fear the speech of Mr. Green has been without sufficient thought. On
reflection he will recall it."
But Mr. Green would sooner part with life than part with a prejudice, and
he shook his head in the negative in a way to show that his mind was
made up.
"This is trifling," added Captain Truck. "Saunders, go on deck, and tell
Mr. Leach to send down through the skylight a single whip, that we may
whip this polite personage on deck; and, harkee, Saunders, let there be
another on the yard, that we may send him into his boat like an anker
of gin!"
"This is proceeding too far," said Captain Ducie. "Mr Green, you will
oblige me by retiring; there can be no suspicion cast on a vessel of war
for conceding a little to an unarmed ship."
"A vessel of war should not insult an unarmed ship, sir!" rejoined Captain
Truck, pithily.
Captain Ducie again coloured; but as he had decided on his course, he had
the prudence to remain silent. In the mean time Mr. Green sullenly took
his hat and papers, and withdrew into the boat; though, on his return to
London he did not fail to give such a version of the affair as went
altogether to corroborate all his own, and his friends' previous notions
of America; and, what is equally singular, he religiously believed all he
had said on the occasion.
Pages:
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715