"
"Si, si!" exclaimed the young Spaniard, as if comprehending what was
going on--"Somos contentos--todos, todos!" and he looked round, like a
prince, on his fellow--culprits. A low murmuring, "Si, si--contento,
contento!" passed amongst the group.
"The accused, please your honours, are willing to trust to my
correctness."
"Pray, Mr Cringle, don't make yourself the advocate of these men, mind
that," said the--, lawyer sans wig.
"I don't intend it, sir," I said, slightly stung; "but if you had
suffered what I have done at their hands, peradventure such a caution to
you would have been unnecessary."
The sarcasm told, I was glad to see; but remembering where I was, I
hauled but of action with the man of words, simply giving the last shot
"I am sure no English gentleman would willingly throw any difficulty in
the way of the poor fellows being made aware of what is given in
evidence against them, bad as they may be."
He was about rejoining, for a lawyer would as soon let you have the last
word as a sweep or a baker the wall, when the officer of court
approached and swore me in, and the trial proceeded.
The whole party were proved by fifty witnesses to have been taken in
arms on board of the schooners in the Cove; and farther, it was proved
that no commission or authority to cruise whatsoever was found on board
any of them, a strong proof that they were pirates.
"Que dice, que dice?" enquired the young Spaniard already mentioned.
Pages:
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372