“Permit?” quoth Blood. “I ordered it.”
The answer left Bishop speechless for a moment. Then:
“You ordered it?” he said in accents of unbelief, whilst Lord Julian raised his eyebrows. “'Swounds! Perhaps you'll explain yourself? Whither has Wolverstone gone?”
“To Tortuga. He's gone with a message to the officers commanding the other four ships of the fleet that is awaiting me there, telling them what's happened and why they are no longer to expect me.”
Bishop's great face seemed to swell and its high colour to deepen. He swung to Lord Julian.
“You hear that, my lord? Deliberately he has let Wolverstone loose upon the seas again--Wolverstone, the worst of all that g**g of pirates after himself. I hope your lordship begins at last to perceive the folly of granting the King's commission to
