declared thyself innocent; wilt
thou be tried by a jury, or art content to trust thy cause to the
judgment of the honorable Court of Assistants?"

"I care not who tries me," replied Joy. "I am a true man; and, though
I don't belong to the congregation, am as honest as a great many who
do, and he is a horrid villain, who--"

"Enough," interrupted the Governor, "a quick tongue often prejudices,
while a slow one seldom doth. Do I understand that it is thy desire to
be tried by the Assistants?"

"It is not my desire to be tried by any one," said Joy; "but, sith I
am to be put on my deliverance, I think that I shall stand a better
chance in the hands of honorable gentlemen, some of whom have been
soldiers, than in the dirty paws of tinkers, and cobblers, and mere
mechanicals."

No smile mantled over the faces of his grave judges, but it was
obvious, from the twinkling of eyes and glances shot by one to
another, that the speech of Joy had done him no harm with those who,
even thus early, began to feel annoyed at the approach of the clouted
shoe.

"Art thou prepared for thy trial? inquired the President.

"At any moment, and the sooner the better, your worship. I had rather
mount guard, for a week, in steel helmet and corselet, with breast,
back, culet, gorget, tasses, sword, musket and bandoliers, in the
hottest sun that ever roasted a blackamoor, or stand up to my knees,
six months, in snow, without my mandilion, than lie a day longer in
that ace--I mean that kennel of a lock-up."

"It, meseems, thou art in a hurry to have justice done thee, good
fellow," said, with a grim smile, the gentleman who was the third one
described, stroking, with his embroidered glove, the tuft of hair that
hung below his chin.

"You are a soldier, Captain Endicott, and can look a man straight in
the eyes," paid Joy; "and, though people give you credit for a hot
temper, I will trust you."

Endicott elevated his eye-brows at this ambiguous compliment, and for
a moment seemed at a loss how to take it, especially as he remarked a
peculiar expression on the faces of his colleagues.

"Being a soldier thyself," he replied, fastening his eyes sternly on
the face of the prisoner, "thou art bound to know that it becomes not
one in the ranks to prattle."

Joy made no answer, but returned a cool and unabashed look to the gaze
of the other.

"If the witnesses have been called, let them appear," said the
President.

Two men, of a rather moan