"Th' Captin wishes to say a few whurds t' th' gentilman what stretched him out this day on th' main deck," he observed to the men guarding us. "'Twas a good stroke, sure, but the Captin av th' _Hound_ keel-hauled two men, just lately, for trying to excite dishorder on th' beach, so it must be a hanging th' owld man is afther to-night. Bring thim right along wid ye, me sons." Then he made his way on deck and we followed after him with a soldier at each elbow. We went quickly aft, and just as I turned to go down the cabin companionway I looked astern and saw the dark loom of the frigate's hull through the darkness. Then we filed below into the Captain's cabin. At the head of the cabin table sat Captain Cahill, and in front of him stood a flask of spirits. On either side, within easy reach, lay a pistol with the flint cocked back over the priming, and behind the Captain's chair stood Mr. Rose and two other officers. The Captain looked little the worse for the blow Will had given him, but his eyes shone fierce and green as a tiger's, as they met my cousin's look. "Captain Cahill," said I, "for I believe that's your name, you will do yourself a favor if you set us ashore instantly. This outrage, sir, has gone far enough." He turned his fierce little shifty eyes to me, but took no other notice of my words. He sat there, silent and grim, and slowly filled his glass from the bottle in front of him. Then he drank off the contents. As he drained the last drops with his head held backward, his eyes met mine squarely and his fury burned within him. He bit savagely through the glass tumbler and ground the splintered fragments between his teeth, and then spat them from his bleeding lips. Then he hurled the remainder of the tumbler to the deck with a crash, and sat there silently glaring like some fiend from hell. Finally he spoke. "It is now nearly nine o'clock," he said slowly. "When three bells strike I shall drop all three of you overboard, and you shall have three twelve pound shot--one apiece--along with you. Lord Dunmore requests that you shall not be hurt. You will see, Mr. Rose," he went on, turning to his lieutenant, "that no violence is done these gentlemen. Do you understand, sir? Simply lower them carefully over the side with a shot fast to the right foot of each, and see that their hands are tied to prevent them from hurting any one. You may take them forward, sergeant." We were on our way forward again and just on the point of entering the forehatch, when the sound of oars, working in oarlocks with a man-of-war's sweep, fell on our ears. The sergeant stopped and looked over the vessel's side. "It's the Guvnor's boat," said one of the soldiers. "'E's comin' to pay his respects to the skipper, an 'e'll find 'im in a fine state for argyment." "'Pon me sowl, it is," said the sergeant. "Pete, you an' Rooney, here, take the folks below while I see to his ludship."