ggle."

"Diggle, if you like," said Clive with a shrug. "You will hang as well in
that name as another."

One of the officers smiled at the grim jest, but there was no smile on
Clive's stern set face.

"You asked me if I had anything to say for myself," said Diggle quietly.
"Assuredly; but it seems your Honors have condemned me already. Why
should I waste your time, and my breath? I bethink me 'twas not even in
Rome the custom to judge a matter before learning the facts--prius rem
dijudicare--but it is a long time, Mr. Clive, since we conned our
Terence together."

Desmond could not but admire the superb insouciance and the easy smile
with which Diggle played his card. Seeing that Clive for an instant
hesitated, the intrepid prisoner continued:

"But there, Mr. Clive, you never excelled in the Latin. 'Twas a sore
point with poor Mr. Burslem."

"Come, come," cried Clive, visibly nettled, "this is no time for quips.
You fail to appreciate your position. You are caught red handed. If you
have no defense to make you will meet the fate of other pirates before
you. Have you anything to say?"

"Yes. You accuse me of piracy; I have a complete answer to that charge;
but as an Englishman I claim an Englishman's right--a fair trial before a
jury of my countrymen. In any case, Mr. Clive, it would be invidious to
give me worse treatment than Monaji Angria and his officers. As for the
rest, it depends on the evidence of this single witness."

Here Admiral Watson bent forward and said to Clive in an undertone,
inaudible to the others:

"I think we had better defer this. If, as you suppose, the fellow has
knowledge of the French plans, it would be only politic to give Mr.
Bourchier an opportunity of inquiring into the matter. No doubt he richly
deserves hanging, but dead men tell no tales."

Clive frowned, and, drumming upon the divan impatiently with his fingers,
seemed for the moment to be lost in thought. Then he said:

"Yes, Mr. Watson, I think you are right."

"Take the prisoner back to your ship," said the admiral, "and put him
under double guard.

"Thank you, Mr. Burke; we shall require your evidence in Bombay. One word
before you go. I am vastly indebted to you for your services; you have
been of the greatest use to myself and my captains. Your name will
frequently appear in our ships' logs, and I shall take care to show your
work in the proper light when I make my report. Meanwhile, when the
division of pri