ly challenged him.

"What are you doing there?"

Blood did not look up from his task. There was not the need. He knew the
voice, as I have said.

"I am setting a broken leg," he answered, without pausing in his
labours.

"I can see that, fool." A bulky body interposed between Peter Blood and
the window. The half-naked man on the straw rolled his black eyes to
stare up fearfully out of a clay-coloured face at this intruder. A
knowledge of English was unnecessary to inform him that here came an
enemy. The harsh, minatory note of that voice sufficiently expressed the
fact. "I can see that, fool; just as I can see what the rascal is. Who
gave you leave to set Spanish legs?"

"I am a doctor, Colonel Bishop. The man is wounded. It is not for me to
discriminate. I keep to my trade."

"Do you, by God! If you'd done that, you wouldn't now be here."

"On the contrary, it is because I did it that I am here."

"Aye, I know that's your lying tale." The Colonel sneered; and then,
observing Blood to continue his work unmoved, he grew really angry.
"Will you cease that, and attend to me when I am speaking?"

Peter Blood paused, but only for an instant. "The man is in pain," he
said shortly, and resumed his work.

"In pain, is he? I hope he is, the damned piratical dog. But will you
heed me, you insubordinate knave?"

The Colonel delivered himself in a roar, infuriated by what he conceived
to be defiance, and defiance expressing itself in the most unruffled
disregard of himself. His long bamboo cane was raised to strike. Peter
Blood's blue eyes caught the flash of it, and he spoke quickly to arrest
the blow.

"Not insubordinate, sir, whatever I may be. I am acting upon the express
orders of Governor Steed."

The Colonel checked, his great face empurpling. His mouth fell open.

"Governor Steed!" he echoed. Then he lowered his cane, swung round, and
without another word to Blood rolled away towards the other end of the
shed where the Governor was standing at the moment.

Peter Blood chuckled. But his triumph was dictated less by humanitarian
considerations than by the reflection that he had baulked his brutal
owner.

The Spaniard, realizing that in this altercation, whatever its nature,
the doctor had stood his friend, ventured in a muted voice to ask him
what had happened. But the doctor shook his head in silence, and pursued
his work. His ears were straining to catch the words now passing between
Steed and Bishop. T