“Settle on the best terms,” said the captain.

At this point two officers took the captains to another room, and they were locked in.  An hour afterwards Mr. C——­ came to them and said—­

“I have managed to get him quietened down.  You have had a narrow squeak.  It took me a long time to get him to speak of liberating you, and now I am requested to bring you to him so that you may be severely reprimanded.  He talked of gaol, and sending you out of the country for ever, and inflicting a heavy fine; but that stage has passed, so come with me.”

When they were ushered into the Admiral’s presence he frowned severely at them.  Russian officers and high officials always expect you to tremble when they administer a rebuke.  Needless to say, the reception was harsh.  There was a good deal of long stride, prancing from one end of the room to the other, vehement talk in Russian, and wild gesticulation.  The Maltese told the somewhat callous captains that the Admiral declared the next Englishman that attempted such a thing, if he were not blown up, would have to be shot.  An example must be made.  The genial intermediary interjected with apparent sternness—­

“Captains, you must apologize for the crime you have committed, and be thankful that you are going to be dealt leniently with.  The Admiral is right:  you deserved to be blown up with your ship.  But apologize suitably, and leave the rest to me.”

All but the last sentence was interpreted to the gallant official.  An apology was made, and silently accepted; but the real penalty was not disclosed to the captains until afterwards, and then it was kept secret by them and by the two contracting parties.  The two commanders, when being congratulated on their release, said they did not know what all the fuss was about.  They had done no harm to anybody, and if hostilities were resumed they hoped the Turks would wipe the Russians off the field, and so on.

Three stirring months passed before the Claverhouse returned to ——.  When she arrived at the gunboat guarding the torpedo channel, she took a pilot, and proceeded into the harbour in a law-abiding manner, while her captain, audibly and inaudibly, declaimed against a Government whose barbarous notions led them to impose restrictions that caused expense and interrupted the normal process of navigation.  “What right have these beastly Russians to hamper British shipping like this?”

When the captain landed he was met by several friends, who cheerfully inquired if he had found another new channel into the port.  He jokingly retorted—­

“No; but I might have to find a new one out.”