“You’ll ruffle it to the gallows, no doubt,” he said contemptuously.  “I suppose that is after the fashion of your kind.  Meanwhile it’s your surrender I require, my man, not your impudence.”

Captain Blood appeared surprised, pained.  He turned in appeal to Lord Julian.

“D’ye hear that now?  And did ye ever hear the like?  But what did I tell ye?  Ye see, the young gentleman’s under a misapprehension entirely.  Perhaps it’ll save broken bones if your lordship explains just who and what I am.”

Lord Julian advanced a step and bowed perfunctorily and rather disdainfully to that very disdainful but now dumbfounded officer.  Pitt, who watched the scene from the quarter-deck rail, tells us that his lordship was as grave as a parson at a hanging.  But I suspect this gravity for a mask under which Lord Julian was secretly amused.

“I have the honour to inform you, sir,” he said stiffly, “that Captain Blood holds a commission in the King’s service under the seal of my Lord Sunderland, His Majesty’s Secretary of State.”

Captain Calverley’s face empurpled; his eyes bulged.  The buccaneers in the background chuckled and crowed and swore among themselves in their relish of this comedy.  For a long moment Calverley stared in silence at his lordship, observing the costly elegance of his dress, his air of calm assurance, and his cold, fastidious speech, all of which savoured distinctly of the great world to which he belonged.

“And who the devil may you be?” he exploded at last.

Colder still and more distant than ever grew his lordship’s voice.

“You’re not very civil, sir, as I have already noticed.  My name is Wade — Lord Julian Wade.  I am His Majesty’s envoy to these barbarous parts, and my Lord Sunderland’s near kinsman.  Colonel Bishop has been notified of my coming.”

The sudden change in Calverley’s manner at Lord Julian’s mention of his name showed that the notification had been received, and that he had knowledge of it.

“I...  I believe that he has,” said Calverley, between doubt and suspicion.  “That is:  that he has been notified of the coming of Lord Julian Wade.  But... but... aboard this ship...?” The officer made a gesture of helplessness, and, surrendering to his bewilderment, fell abruptly silent.

“I was coming out on the Royal Mary....”

“That is what we were advised.”

“But the Royal Mary fell a victim to a Spanish privateer, and I might never have arrived at all but for the gallantry of Captain Blood, who rescued me.”

Light broke upon the darkness of Calverley’s mind.  “I see.  I understand.”

“I will take leave to doubt it.”  His lordship’s tone abated nothing of its asperity.  “But that can wait.  If Captain Blood will show you his commission, perhaps that will set all doubts at rest, and we may proceed.  I shall be glad to reach Port Royal.”