“For the love of Heaven!” exclaimed the prisoner aloud, as though he could bear this intensity of feeling no longer, “who is this man?”

“It is my servant—­an honest, faithful man, may it please the court.  Leonard Hust, by name, born in my father’s service,” said Captain Bramble.

“Leonard Hust,” mused the young commander, thoughtfully; “Leonard Hust!”

“Ay, sir,” added Captain Bramble, somewhat pertly, “do you find any objection to that name?  If so, sir, I pray you will declare it to the court.”

“Leonard Hust!” still mused the prisoner, without noticing this interruption.  “There is a strange ring upon my ears in repeating that name!”

“Prisoner,” said the judge, “do you recollect having done this man a severe and almost fatal harm in the late conflict?”

“I—­I,” said the young commander, somewhat confused in his mind from an evident effort to recall some long-forgotten association.

“You will be so good as to answer the question put by the court,” repeated the judge.

“The court will please remember that I hurt no one, and that I was not even engaged in the action referred to.  These good people are mistaken.”

Now it was that the attention of all were drawn towards Leonard Hust, who in turn seemed as much surprised and as much moved by some secret cause as the prisoner had been.  He hastily crossed the court room to where the prisoner sat, and looking full into his eyes, seemed to be for a moment entranced, while the court remained silent, observing these singular manifestations, which they could not understand.

“Leonard—­Leonard, I say!” repeated Captain Bramble, “what trick is this?”

“Trick!” whispered the man; “trick, Captain Bramble!  Tell me, sir, who is that man?”

“Why, they call him Captain Will Ratlin, and we know him to be a slaver.”

The servant still hesitated, looking from the prisoner to his principal accuser, the English officer, then at the court, and finally drawing his master a little on one side, the man again went through the pantomime described, and placing his mouth to his master’s ear whispered something which startled him as though a gun had been fired at his very ear.  The shock was like electricity, and made him stagger for support.  Two or three times he repeated “Impossible! impossible!” and finally begged the court to stay the proceedings, as he was taken suddenly ill, and should not be able to attend until to-morrow.  Being the principal prosecutor and witness, of course his presence was requisite to the progress of the trial, and therefore as he made this request it was at once formally granted, and the court adjourned for the time, while the prisoner was remanded on ship-board for safe keeping until the next day.

That the reader may understand the singular conduct of both the young commander and Leonard Hust, he must follow the latter worthy into his master’s private room in the government house, where they proceeded at once after the occurrences described.