Humbly saluting the court, with many “sirs” and “worships” and “excellencies,” the captain tells his tale. It was yesterday about this time. He had hardly entered the Second Compound in the ordinary discharge of his duty when he was set upon, without the slightest warning or provocation, by a gang of the prisoners. There must have been two hundred of them, but the six men in the dock had been the ring-leaders. Five of the six belonged to the Second Compound, but the sixth came from the Third, and he was the worst of the lot. Being a camp captain he was allowed to move about anywhere, and he had often abused his liberty to undermine the captain’s authority. “How do you know that?” asks the High Bailiff. “My guard have told me what he has said, your Worship, but I heard him myself in this case.” “What did you hear?” “I was behind the baron’s bungalow in the First Compound, your Worship, when I heard him telling the men of the second to lynch and murder me.” The Governor leans forward and says: “You mean that this sixth man has a spite against you?” “A most bitter spite, your Excellency.” “Have you given him any cause?” “No cause whatever, your Excellency.” “What is his name?” “Oskar Heine.” “Let Oskar Heine be called,” says the Governor. As Oskar steps out of the dock Mona feels hot and dizzy. Being a prisoner he is not sworn. He stands at the foot of the witness-box, but his head is up, and when he answers the questions of the advocate appointed to represent the prisoners he does not seem to be afraid. “You have heard the evidence of the captain.” “I have.” “Is it true--what he says about yourself?” “No, sir, not a word of it.” “Did you take any part in the attack that was made on him?” “None whatever.” “Did you tell the other prisoners to do what they did?” “No, I did not; but if I had known as much about the captain then as I know now I should have done.” “Done what?” asks the Governor sharply. “Told them to do what they did--and worse.” “And what do you know now, if you please?” “That he has been cheating and bullying and blackmailing and corrupting them.” “And if you had known this before what would you have told them to do, as you say?” “Thrash him within an inch of his life.” “You admit that?” “I do, sir.” The Governor turns to the High Bailiff and says: “Is it necessary to go further? The man denies that he took part in the actual assault, but no evidence could be more corroborative of the captain’s story.” The High Bailiff appears to assent, and the advocate for the defence, who had intended to call the other prisoners, signifies by a gesture that he thinks it is hopeless to do so now. “I ask for the utmost penalty of the law against the six prisoners,” says the advocate for the Crown, “for a brutal and cowardly assault on an officer of the army in the lawful discharge of his duty.”