one which was voiced by Ogle.

"Will Bishop respect the commission when you hold it?"

It was Lord Julian who answered:

"It will go very hard with him if he attempts to flout the King's
authority. And though he should dare attempt it, be sure that his own
officers will not dare to do other than oppose him."

"Aye," said Ogle, "that is true."

But there were some who were still in open and frank revolt against the
course. Of these was Wolverstone, who at once proclaimed his hostility.

"I'll rot in hell or ever I serves the King," he bawled in a great rage.

But Blood quieted him and those who thought as he did.

"No man need follow me into the King's service who is reluctant. That is
not in the bargain. What is in the bargain is that I accept this service
with such of you as may choose to follow me. Don't think I accept it
willingly. For myself, I am entirely of Wolverstone's opinion. I accept
it as the only way to save us all from the certain destruction into
which my own act may have brought us. And even those of you who do
not choose to follow me shall share the immunity of all, and shall
afterwards be free to depart. Those are the terms upon which I sell
myself to the King. Let Lord Julian, the representative of the Secretary
of State, say whether he agrees to them."

Prompt, eager, and clear came his lordship's agreement. And that
was practically the end of the matter. Lord Julian, the butt now of
good-humouredly ribald jests and half-derisive acclamations, plunged
away to his cabin for the commission, secretly rejoicing at a turn of
events which enabled him so creditably to discharge the business on
which he had been sent.

Meanwhile the bo'sun signalled to the Jamaica ships to send a boat, and
the men in the waist broke their ranks and went noisily flocking to line
the bulwarks and view the great stately vessels that were racing down
towards them.

As Ogle left the quarter-deck, Blood turned, and came face to face with
Miss Bishop. She had been observing him with shining eyes, but at sight
of his dejected countenance, and the deep frown that scarred his
brow, her own expression changed. She approached him with a hesitation
entirely unusual to her. She set a hand lightly upon his arm.

"You have chosen wisely, sir," she commended him, "however much against
your inclinations."

He looked with gloomy eyes upon her for whom he had made this sacrifice.

"I owed it to you--or thought I did," he said.