Part 6 (1/2)
”We hardly look forward to your putting yourself in that position, sir,”
said Mr Francis
”No, by God!” said the captain ”When I quit her Majesty's service it will be neither for pique nor for love”
”No, indeed, sir,” agreed the first lieutenant
”I've had my follies, too, Mr Francis,” said the captain ”Everyhas some time or other made a fool of hihbors I can't forget I was once youngto fetch hi's eyes he meant to keep the boy”
”The lady in the case is the king's sister, I suppose--” said the captain, ”that tall slip of a girl as alwayssuch sheep's-eyes at Jack Gad! I don't wonder he preferred a bower in Eden with her to the steerage of adevils incarnate! Who knohat ht not have happened if she had made sheep's-eyes at me, Mr Francis!”
”Very true, sir, very true,” returned Mr Francis, who had no sense of hu I ever saent on the captain
The two oodness he'll be the only one,” said Mr Francis ”The fact is, the whole shi+p's in love; even the lower deck is off its feed; the boatswain says they'rewith true-lovers' knots, and I' poetry”
”Ah, if it had been anyone but him!” exclaimed the captain
”It's horrible to call him a deserter,” said Francis
”Don't let's do it,” said the captain
”We have to say so, sir,” returned the first lieutenant helplessly
”One can always lie, I suppose,” said Hadow
”There's nothing I wouldn't do myself for Jack Garrard,” volunteered Mr
Francis
”Why not say he was kidnapped here by the hill tribes?” said Hadow ”We aren't certain sure he wasn't, and no one can deny but what he ht have been”
”But the admiral would be bound to inquire into it,” said Mr Francis
”Sooner or later he'd send a shi+p”
”Trust Jack to do his own lying when she gets here,” said Hadow
”Besides, he'll be sick of the whole thing by that tilad to step aboard”
”But won't we be asked e_ didn't rescue him?” asked Francis
”No, no--I have it!” cried the captain
”It's certainly a case for stretching a point, sir,” said Mr Francis
”Enter in the log,” said the captain, speaking slowly and thoughtfully, ”that Passed Midshi+p to report himself at the expiration of his leave, was afterwards discovered to have been kidnapped by the hill tribes of Borabora Island Onto land a party to recover hie, who cleared himself of any personal responsibility in the ive him time, to recover the man without bloodshed or any cost to her Majesty's Governed that the use of force would imperil the officer's life, which otherwise he had every confidence would be spared”