Nelson gives me a discretion, and so we'll
act on the safe side, and just turn him over to duty again. When there
comes an opportunity, I'll inquire into the facts of his case, and if he
can make out that he is not an Englishman, why, he must be discharged.
The ship will be going home in a year or two, when everything can be
settled fairly and deliberately. I dare say Bolt will not object to
the terms."
"Perhaps not, sir. Then there's the crew, Captain Cuffe. They may think
it strange treason and desertion go unpunished. These fellows talk and
reason more than is always known aft."
"I've thought of all that, Winchester. I dare say you have heard of such
a thing as a King's evidence? Well, here has Raoul Yvard been tried and
found guilty as a spy; Bolt having been a witness. A few remarks
judiciously made may throw everything off on that tack; and appearances
will be preserved, so far as discipline is concerned."
"Yes, sir, that might be done, it's true; but an uneasy berth will the
poor devil have of it, if the people fancy he has been a King's
evidence. Men of that class hate a traitor worse than they do crime,
Captain Cuffe, and they'll ride Bolt down like the main tack."
"Perhaps not; and if they do, 'twill not be as bad as hanging. The
fellow must think himself luckily out of a bad scrape, and thank God for
all his mercies. You can see that he suffers nothing unreasonable, or
greatly out of the way. So send an order to the master-at-arms to knock
the irons off the chap, and send him to duty, before you turn in,
Winchester.
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