Peter Blood caught himself staring in a sort of amazement at that
piquant face, which seemed here so out of place, and finding his
stare returned, he shifted uncomfortably. He grew conscious of the
sorry figure that he cut. Unwashed, with rank and matted hair and
a disfiguring black beard upon his face, and the erstwhile splendid
suit of black camlet in which he had been taken prisoner now reduced
to rags that would have disgraced a scarecrow, he was in no case for
inspection by such dainty eyes as these. Nevertheless, they
continued to inspect him with round-eyed, almost childlike wonder
and pity. Their owner put forth a hand to touch the scarlet sleeve
of her companion, whereupon with an ill-tempered grunt the man swung
his great bulk round so that he directly confronted her.

Looking up into his face, she was speaking to him earnestly, but the
Colonel plainly gave her no more than the half of his attention.
His little beady eyes, closely flanking a fleshly, pendulous nose,
had passed from her and were fixed upon fair-haired, sturdy young
Pitt, who was standing beside Blood.

The Governor had also come to a halt, and for a moment now that
little group of three stood in conversation. What the lady said,
Peter could not hear at all, for she lowered her voice; the Colonel's
reached him in a confused rumble, but the Governor was neither
considerate nor indistinct; he had a high-pitched voice which carried
far, and believing himself witty, he desired to be heard by all.

"But, my dear Colonel Bishop, it is for you to take first choice
from this dainty nosegay, and at your own price. After that we'll
send the rest to auction."