“Ah!” he said.  “You’re a prodigiously uncivil fellow.  You disappoint me, sir.  I had formed the notion that you might be a gentleman.”

“And that’s not your lordship’s only mistake,” Bishop cut in.  “You made a worse when you gave him the King’s commission, and so sheltered the rascal from the gallows I had prepared for him in Port Royal.”

“Aye — but the worst mistake of all in this matter of commissions,” said Blood to his lordship, “was the one that trade this greasy slaver Deputy-Governor of Jamaica instead of its hangman, which is the office for which he’s by nature fitted.”

“Captain Blood!” said his lordship sharply in reproof.  “Upon my soul and honour, sir, you go much too far.  You are....”

But here Bishop interrupted him.  He had heaved himself to his feet, at last, and was venting his fury in unprintable abuse.  Captain Blood, who had also risen, stood apparently impassive, for the storm to spend itself.  When at last this happened, he addressed himself quietly to Lord Julian, as if Colonel Bishop had not spoken.

“Your lordship was about to say?” he asked, with challenging smoothness.

But his lordship had by now recovered his habitual composure, and was again disposed to be conciliatory.  He laughed and shrugged.

“Faith! here’s a deal of unnecessary heat,” said he.  “And God knows this plaguey climate provides enough of that.  Perhaps, Colonel Bishop, you are a little uncompromising; and you, sir, are certainly a deal too peppery.  I have said, speaking on behalf of my Lord Sunderland, that I am content to await the result of your experiment.”

But Bishop’s fury had by now reached a stage in which it was not to be restrained.

“Are you, indeed?” he roared.  “Well, then, I am not.  This is a matter in which your lordship must allow me to be the better judge.  And, anyhow, I’ll take the risk of acting on my own responsibility.”

Lord Julian abandoned the struggle.  He smiled wearily, shrugged, and waved a hand in implied resignation.  The Deputy-Governor stormed on.

“Since my lord here has given you a commission, I can’t regularly deal with you out of hand for piracy as you deserve.  But you shall answer before a court-martial for your action in the matter of Wolverstone, and take the consequences.”

“I see,” said Blood.  “Now we come to it.  And it’s yourself as Deputy-Governor will preside over that same court-martial.  So that ye can wipe off old scores by hanging me, it’s little ye care how ye do it!” He laughed, and added:  “Praemonitus, praemunitus.”

“What shall that mean?” quoth Lord Julian sharply.

“I had imagined that your lordship would have had some education.”

He was at pains, you see, to be provocative.

“It’s not the literal meaning I am asking, sir,” said Lord Julian, with frosty dignity.  “I want to know what you desire me to understand?”