FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106  
107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   >>   >|  
itional surrender, Sir John Barraclough," said the Prince morosely; "I will have no other terms." "You may come in," said Barraclough shortly. Holgate edged himself through. "I claim the protection of this flag," said he flatly, and looked about him. "I hope my men haven't knocked you about too much. Doctor, my respects to you. You've got a head on you." "Come to business, sir," said Barraclough harshly. "Sir John, I've saved your ship, and I hope you'll lay that to my credit," said Holgate in his leisurely voice. "I found her drifting on a lee shore when I took charge, and, by thunder, she'd have floundered in another half-hour. So whatever you set on one side of the ledger, there's that lump on the other." "We're not here to talk about these matters," said Barraclough sternly. "Excuse me, Sir John, we are," said Holgate sweetly. "We're just on that and nothing else. It's pretty clear how you stand, but if you like I'll rehearse the situation. And I want you to understand where _I_ stand. See? I don't think that's so clear to you; and I want ventilation. This is a duffing game for his Royal Highness there. He stands to make nothing out of it, as things go, and there's precious little in it for any of you. Here you are prisoners in these palatial rooms, outnumbered by more than two to one, and not a man of his hands among you, if I except the doctor. Well, you can hold out, I daresay. I know all about that. You've got a call on the food cupboard, and you're welcome to it. But I've got the yacht, and she'll canter under my hands, not Sir John's. Don't you make any mistake. You're not in a first-class position, gentlemen." "You're a long time coming to the point," said Barraclough with exemplary curtness. "We have no time to waste." "Well, gentlemen, I'm willing to make a deal--that's the short of it--a deal that will suit both parties. That's the pith of the situation." He gazed from one to another of us unembarrassed, and even with an expression of amiable cheerfulness. "And my proposal's this----" "Unconditional surrender," broke in the Prince's harsh voice. "That so?" says Holgate without concern, directing a glance at the speaker. "I guess, Mr. Morland, you're in this for more than your health. So am I. But I should like to know before starting whom I've got to deal with, just by way of encouragement, so to say." He paused. "I don't want to pry into any secrets, but it would suit me better if I
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106  
107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Barraclough
 

Holgate

 

gentlemen

 
situation
 

Prince

 
surrender
 

position

 

coming

 

exemplary

 

morosely


mistake

 
curtness
 

doctor

 

daresay

 

canter

 

cupboard

 

parties

 

starting

 

health

 
Morland

speaker

 

secrets

 
encouragement
 

paused

 

glance

 

expression

 

unembarrassed

 
amiable
 

cheerfulness

 
concern

directing

 

proposal

 

Unconditional

 

itional

 
business
 

matters

 

sternly

 
harshly
 

Excuse

 

pretty


Doctor

 
respects
 

sweetly

 

ledger

 

charge

 

thunder

 

drifting

 

floundered

 

credit

 

leisurely