"I charges him," answered Talbot, "with havin' wilfully spoke the words what got poor Dicky Rudd two dozen lashes at the gangway, when the poor feller was 'most too sick to stand upright. If he hadn't spoke as likely as not the skipper had never ha' thought of it, and, so far as that goes, I believes that all hands of us is agreed that he wouldn't. Therefore I charges this here pris'ner with bein' the man what acshully got poor Dicky his floggin'." "You hears, pris'ner, what the crew has against yer; what have yer got to say to it?" interrogated Rogers. Walford had evidently either forgotten all about his ill-advised suggestion, or had believed the crew to be ignorant of it: he seemed to have thought that the utmost extent of the mutineers' complaint against him would be that he had not interfered in their behalf. When therefore he heard the charge against him, and realised the fact that he was wholly in their power, and utterly at their mercy, his courage--which at the best of times was only of a very flimsy and unreliable character-- utterly gave way; he involuntarily turned his eyes for a moment upon the miserable second mate; recalled the fact that the wretched man had been doomed to a speedy and degrading death by the same individuals who were now sitting in judgment upon him; and a shameful panic took possession of him. An uncontrollable shivering fit seized his frame, he was obliged to clench his teeth together, to prevent them from chattering audibly; he glanced wildly round him as if seeking for some means of escape; and, after two or three ineffectual efforts to speak, he managed to gasp out brokenly through his clenched teeth and quivering lips-- "I--I--I give you--my--my sacred word of honour, gen-gentlemen, that I was o-only in--jest. I nev-never believed for a--a moment that Cap-t-tain Arnold would t-take my remark seriously, or I as-sure you I would n-n-ever have uttered it. And besides, I re-real-ly believed that your--friend R-R-udd was--was only sh-h--er--ah--I beg your pardon gentlemen, I sc-scarcely know what I am saying, but--oh, gentlemen I don't be hard upon me--have mercy upon me, for God's sake! Spare my life, and you may do with me what you will." He ceased, from sheer physical inability to utter another word, and, sinking upon his knees, stretched forth his quaking hands in a mute appeal for mercy.