Ramage

 'Cowardice?' Jackson ejaculated. 'How's that, sir? Isn't it just the normal loss-of-ship inquiry?'

Ramage realized that for discipline's sake he had no business discussing the matter with Jackson; but since Jackson would be at sea tomorrow, it didn't matter much.

'Yes, cowardice: at least, I think they'll bring it in.'

'But it's not in the actual charge, is it, sir?'

‘No - it's the usual wording.'

 'But... but how the devil can they bring in cowardice, sir, if you'll pardon me for asking?'

 'Easy enough,' Ramage said sourly. 'I've been accused in writing by Count Pisano.'

‘Him! Christ, for—'

 'Jackson: I've been very indiscreet in telling you all this. Now, quickly, give me some names - the boy the Bosun sent down when I was knocked out, and the two men who helped me up on deck.'

 'Can't remember, sir. But some of the lads wilclass="underline" I'll ask 'em while we're getting ready to go over to the Topaze, sir.'

 Jackson saluted and went forward. The American had an odd expression on his face: was it a look of triumph? Ramage felt a spasm of fear: in the past few days he'd often made indiscreet comments to Jackson, and - although Croucher wouldn't know it from Ramage's own report - the American was the only possible witness who was in a good position, if he was prepared to tell lies, to back up Pisano's charge of cowardice...

 Trapped, trapped, trapped! For a moment he felt pure panic as he realized that unless Croucher had kept back some of the other Sibellas who had reached Bastia in the Bosun's party, the only other witness at the trial, apart from the Bosun and Carpenter's Mate, would also be the most influential - Pisano. Gianna, if she was well enough to attend, would at worst back her cousin or, at best, not contradict him.

Jackson came back. 'The two men were Patrick O'Connor and John Higgins, sir; and tie boy was Adam Brenton.'

 'Thank you,' Ramage said and ran down to the gunroom shouting to the steward to bring pen, ink and paper.

Hurriedly he scribbled a letter to the Deputy Judge Advocate requesting the men named in the attached list to be called as witnesses, and signed it. On a second sheet of paper he wrote the names of the Bosun, Carpenter's Mate, the men Jackson had just mentioned, and rounded the list off with Jackson and Smith. Then, as an afterthought, he added a postscript to his letter saying he would forward a further list as soon as he could see the Sibella’s muster book and refresh his memory.

 He folded the letter and list together - there was no time for a seal - and ran up on deck again.

 Dawlish was by the gangway where Jackson was mustering the six Sibellas, with their hammocks and new seabags, which were pitifully empty since they had been able to buy only a few articles from the purser that morning.

'Jack - can you send this letter across to the Trumpeter at once: it's urgent?'

 'Certainly - there's a boat from the Topaze alongside: she can deliver it on her way back.'

'No, Jack: can you send one of our own boats with it?'

 Dawlish realized there must be a good reason for Ramage's insistence.

 'Bosun's Mate! Muster the duty boat's crew. Here,' he called to a midshipman, 'take the duty boat and deliver this to the' - he paused and glanced at the letter - 'to the Deputy Judge Advocate in the Trumpeter!

 As Jackson began calling out the names of the Sibellas from a list he was holding, Dawlish shouted forward, 'Look alive, there! I don't see the duty boat's crew! Bosun's Mate, hurry those men aft!'

Ramage realized Probus had come up the companionway and was walking towards them.

 'What do you want a boat for?' he asked Dawlish. 'The Topaze is sending a boat for these men.'

 'I know, sir, it's already alongside. Mr Ramage wants a letter delivered to the Trumpeter!

 'Well, that can wait, can't it, Ramage? I've some papers to send over later on.'

'It's my list of witnesses, sir.'

 ‘Your what?’'

'List of witnesses.'

‘Have you been asleep?'

‘Well, sir, I had the charge delivered to me only ten minutes ago.'

'Ten minutes! Didn't you get it yesterday?'

 'No, sir. It came in the last boat from the Trumpeter: the same one that brought the orders for these men.' Ramage gestured towards the Sibellas.

'All right then, carry on then, Dawlish.'

 Probus walked away, and a few moments later Ramage saw him looking with his telescope first at the Trumpeter and then at the Topaze. After a moment's glance at the sloop, Probus called:

'Midshipman! What's that the sloop's flying?'

 Ramage saw the Topaze had just hoisted a wheft at the ensign staff - a signal a ship made for her boats to return, and usually a warning that she was about to saiL

'Wheft, sir,' called the midshipmaa 'Boats to return.'

 'Mr Dawlish,' said Probus, 'send those men off smartly. Mr Ramage, come over here!'

 As soon as Ramage joined him, Probus asked: 'Did you know she was sailing?'

'We saw them bending on headsails a few minutes ago.'

‘Why didn't you come and tell me ?'

Ramage did not answer: it hadn't occurred to him.

'So you'll lose a lot of your witnesses?'

 Ramage said nothing: Probus could work it out for himself.

 Finally Probus shut his telescope with a vicious snap, turned as if to say something to Ramage, but apparently thought better of it.

 Just at that moment Ramage saw the Sibellas lowering their gear into the boat. Jackson came over towards Probus, as if to make his report. But instead of stopping at a respectful distance and saluting, the American came straight up to him, gave the startled captain a push in the chest, and said in a conversational tone of voice, 'You're in the bloody way.'

 Probus was too dumbfounded to react at once, and Jackson then gave Ramage a push. 'You, too!'

 Probus recovered first and, his face flushed with anger, turned to Ramage: 'Is this man drunk, or mad?'

'God knows, sir!'

 ' "Insolence" and probably "Striking a superior officer", sir,' said Jackson. 'I ought to be arrested.'

 'You're damned right!' Probus said heatedly. 'Hey, Master-at-Arms! Pass the word for the Master-at-Arms!'

 While the Captain turned to repeat the order to Dawlish, Jackson gave Ramage a deliberate wink.

 Realizing the significance of what Jackson had done, Ramage stared down at the deck, ashamed of his earlier doubts.

Probus waited impatiently for the Master-at-Arms, banging the telescope against his leg, and finally strode to the quarter-deck rail, bawling to Dawlish.

 Ramage seized the opportunity to hiss at Jackson: ‘You fool - they can hang you, for this!'

‘Yes, but if I'm under arrest I can't sail in the Topaze!’

'But—'

 'Didn't know you were in special trouble, sir: thought it was routine, although I did wonder why that Italian gentleman kept making all those speeches. If I'd—'

 He stopped as he saw Probus turning back from the rail, and Ramage realized that since all the conversation in the gig between himself, Pisano and Gianna had been in Italian, Jackson had no inkling of Pisano's accusations.

 Within a minute the heavily-built Master-at-Arms, breathless after running up the ladders from below, was standing before Probus, who pointed at Jackson and said: 'Take that man below.'

 Probus told Dawlish: 'Send a lieutenant to the Topaze with these men. He's to explain to her commanding officer that one of them has been detained on board this ship on my orders and a report is being sent to Captain Croucher.'

To Ramage he snapped: 'Come down to my cabin.'