"Why, your Majesty, I can swear my Bible oath that I saw Richard Parker clap a pistol to his head and tell him if he did not obey orders he would blow his brains out. Now, your Majesty, do you see, he thought to himself, `If my brains are blown out I can never serve the King again, and if I merely write as I am made to do there can be no great harm in that, and the time will come when I may be able to serve my good King as before.' Now, your Majesty, I ask if a man was to treat you like that, whether you would not think it was wiser to obey him than to kick up a row about it?" "As to that, it would depend very much upon what the man wanted me to do," answered the King. "However, it is clear your young friend acted on compulsion, if your oath is of any value; and what does your shipmate there say?" "Please your Majesty, I can swear the same thing," answered Jack Veal, "and what is more, we can bring several other men to prove that what we say is the truth." "And what do you say, my tall friend?" said the King, looking up at Paul. "Please your Majesty, I have known the lad from his boyhood. He is true and loyal to the backbone," answered Paul, making a salute. "His grandfather, General Tryon, served your Majesty, and perhaps your Majesty remembers the ride he took with you through the forest after your Majesty's visit to Stanmore." "Ah! yes, yes, let me see. I remember the youth well," said the King. "A well-mannered, intelligent lad. It would be a great pity to have him hung, of course it would," he remarked, turning round, to the Queen and princesses who were standing with him. "But, my dear young lady, I cannot act in this matter without the advice of my ministers. You must go and see Mr. Pitt, and learn what he has to say. If he consents, I will pardon the lad with all my heart." "Most deeply do I thank your Majesty for those kind words," answered Mabel; "but time is precious. Any instant he may be led out to execution, and some time would pass before we could apply to the minister." "Oh, that gentleman will help you," answered the King, turning to Mr. Kyffin, "he looks like a lawyer, a clever man, I am sure. You will help the young lady, will you not?" said the King. "Armed with a line signed by your Majesty I certainly could do so," answered Mr. Kyffin, bowing. "We will hasten back to town and see Mr. Pitt, and in the meantime, provided with the order to stay the execution, we will proceed to the ship where the prisoner is confined." "Come along, then," said the King, with a kind encouraging glance at Mabel. "You shall have the paper; I hope it is not unconstitutional. What is the lad's name?" "Harry Tryon," answered Mabel. "Please your Majesty, that is his real name," put in Jacob Tuttle, hearing the answer; "but the name he is to be hung by is Andrew Brown; and please your Majesty, if you only give the order to stop Harry Tryon being hung, poor Andrew Brown may be hung up notwithstanding."