address Colonel
Bishop, Deputy-Governor of Jamaica." It was almost as if his lordship
were giving the Colonel a lesson in deportment. The Colonel accepted it,
and belatedly bowed, removing his broad hat. Then he plunged on.

"You have granted, I am told, the King's commission to this man." His
very tone betrayed the bitterness of his rancour. "Your motives were
no doubt worthy... your gratitude to him for delivering you from the
Spaniards. But the thing itself is unthinkable, my lord. The commission
must be cancelled."

"I don't think I understand," said Lord Julian distantly.

"To be sure you don't, or you'd never ha' done it. The fellow's bubbled
you. Why, he's first a rebel, then an escaped slave, and lastly a bloody
pirate. I've been hunting him this year past."

"I assure you, sir, that I was fully informed of all. I do not grant the
King's commission lightly."

"Don't you, by God! And what else do you call this? But as His Majesty's
Deputy-Governor of Jamaica, I'll take leave to correct your mistake in
my own way."

"Ah! And what way may that be?"

"There's a gallows waiting for this rascal in Port Royal."

Blood would have intervened at that, but Lord Julian forestalled him.

"I see, sir, that you do not yet quite apprehend the circumstances. If
it is a mistake to grant Captain Blood a commission, the mistake is not
mine. I am acting upon the instructions of my Lord Sunderland; and with
a full knowledge of all the facts, his lordship expressly designated
Captain Blood for this commission if Captain Blood could be persuaded to
accept it."

Colonel Bishop's mouth fell open in surprise and dismay.

"Lord Sunderland designated him?" he asked, amazed.

"Expressly."

His lordship waited a moment for a reply. None coming from the
speechless Deputy-Governor, he asked a question: "Would you still
venture to describe the matter as a mistake, sir? And dare you take the
risk of correcting it?"

"I... I had not dreamed...."

"I understand, sir. Let me present Captain Blood."

Perforce Bishop must put on the best face he could command. But that it
was no more than a mask for his fury and his venom was plain to all.

From that unpromising beginning matters had not improved; rather had
they grown worse.

Blood's thoughts were upon this and other things as he lounged there on
the day-bed. He had been a fortnight in Port Royal, his ship virtually
a unit now in the Jamaica squadron. And when the news of it r