. "What have I to do with prudence?"

"Nothing--as I perceive. But, at least, study generosity. I tell you
frankly, ma'am, that in Blood's place I should never have been so nice.
Sink me! When you consider what he has suffered at the hands of his
fellow-countrymen, you may marvel with me that he should trouble to
discriminate between Spanish and English. To be sold into slavery! Ugh!"
His lordship shuddered. "And to a damned colonial planter!" He checked
abruptly. "I beg your pardon, Miss Bishop. For the moment...."

"You were carried away by your heat in defence of this... sea-robber."
Miss Bishop's scorn was almost fierce.

His lordship stared at her again. Then he half-closed his large, pale
eyes, and tilted his head a little. "I wonder why you hate him so," he
said softly.

He saw the sudden scarlet flame upon her cheeks, the heavy frown that
descended upon her brow. He had made her very angry, he judged. But
there was no explosion. She recovered.

"Hate him? Lord! What a thought! I don't regard the fellow at all."

"Then ye should, ma'am." His lordship spoke his thought frankly. "He's
worth regarding. He'd be an acquisition to the King's navy--a man that
can do the things he did this morning. His service under de Ruyter
wasn't wasted on him. That was a great seaman, and--blister me!--the
pupil's worthy the master if I am a judge of anything. I doubt if the
Royal Navy can show his equal. To thrust himself deliberately between
those two, at point-blank range, and so turn the tables on them! It asks
courage, resource, and invention. And we land-lubbers were not the only
ones he tricked by his manoeuvre. That Spanish Admiral never guessed the
intent until it was too late and Blood held him in check. A great man,
Miss Bishop. A man worth regarding."

Miss Bishop was moved to sarcasm.

"You should use your influence with my Lord Sunderland to have the King
offer him a commission."

His lordship laughed softly. "Faith, it's done already. I have his
commission in my pocket." And he increased her amazement by a brief
exposition of the circumstances. In that amazement he left her, and went
in quest of Blood. But he was still intrigued. If she were a little less
uncompromising in her attitude towards Blood, his lordship would have
been happier.

He found the Captain pacing the quarter-deck, a man mentally exhausted
from wrestling with the Devil, although of this particular occupation
his lordship could have no pos