"
"You appear not to know, sir, that you are in my power even on board of
your own vessel," replied Ramsay, starting up, and laying his hand over
the pistols, which he drew towards him, and replaced in his belt. "If
you trust to your ship's company you are mistaken, as you will soon
discover. I demand the despatches."
"But, sir, you will ruin me and ruin yourself," replied Vanslyperken,
alarmed.
"Fear not," replied Ramsay; "for my own sake, and that of the good
cause, I shall not hurt you. No one will know that the despatches have
been ever examined, and----"
"And what?" replied Vanslyperken, gloomily.
"For the passage, and this service, you will receive one hundred
guineas."
Vanslyperken no longer hesitated; he opened the drawer in which he had
deposited the letters, and produced them.
"Now lock the door," said Ramsay, taking his seat.
He then examined the seals, pulled some out of his pocket, and compared
them; sorted the letters according to the seals, and laid one
corresponding at the heading of each file, for there were three
different government seals upon the despatches.
Pages:
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328