killing a man; and I will say here, in the secrecy of an admiral's cabin,
that the man I killed--or was supposed to kill--was a traitor. If I did
kill him, he deserved death by whatever hand it came. I care not what
you do with me"--his hands clenched, his shoulders drew up, his eyes
blackened with the dark fire of his soul--"whether you put me on parole,
or try me by court-martial, or hang me from the yard-arm. I've done a
piece of work of which I'm not ashamed. I've brought a mutinous ship out
of mutiny, sailed her down the seas for many weeks, disciplined her,
drilled her, trained her, fought her; helped to give the admiral of the
West Indian squadron his victory. I enlisted; I was a quota man. I
became a common sailor--I and my servant and friend, Michael Clones. I
shared the feelings of the sailors who mutinied. I wrote petitions and
appeals for them. I mutinied with them. Then at last, having been made
leader of the ship, with the captain and the lieutenants sent safely
ashore, and disagreeing with the policy of the Delegates in not accepting
the terms offered, I brought the ship out, commanding it from the
captain's cabin, and have so continued until to-day. If I'm put ashore
at Jamaica, I'll keep my parole; if I stay a prisoner here, I'll keep my
parole. If I've done you service, admiral, be sure of this, it was done
with clear intent. My object was to save the men who, having mutinied
and fled from Admiralty control, are subject to capital punishment."

"Your thinking came late. You should have thought before you mutinied,"
was the sharp reply.

"As a common sailor I acted on my conscience, and what we asked for the
Admiralty has granted. Only by mutiny did the Admiralty yield to our
demands. What I did I would do again! We took our risks in the Thames
against the guns that were levelled at us; we've taken our risks down
here against the French to help save your squadron, and we've done it.