They - which meant he, Aitken, Wagstaffe and Southwick - had spent almost a whole afternoon discussing the merits of hiring a counsel. It was allowed, but was it wise? The court would comprise no more than thirteen and no fewer than five of the senior officers available in the port, and they would be ordinary naval officers, captains and perhaps flag officers, with no legal training. How would they view an accused officer who was represented by a lawyer? Would they consider that the lawyer was an indication that he had something to hide? Would they be prejudiced against the lawyer who would (or should) know the law - and who might, in fact, trip them or the deputy judge advocate on points of the law?
Aitken, who had not yet been involved in a court-martial either as a witness or defendant (or, for that matter, prosecutor, even of a refractory seaman), had wanted him to get a lawyer, but Southwick had argued against, saying he was sure it would antagonize the court. Ramage had listened to all their arguments, added several of his own which had provoked more discussion, and then pointed out that even if they had decided to engage a counsel there was no time to find one in London and get him down here to Plymouth.
And already the cutter was going alongside the San Joseph, another of Lord St Vincent's prizes from the same battle as the Salvador del Mundo, to collect Lieutenant Hill, the "provost marshal upon the occasion". The day after the fellow had fled from the Calypso without his prisoner under arrest, a letter had arrived for Ramage from the commander-in-chief, written as though Hill had never been on board the Calypso and Aitken had never called for Rennick. It said that Lieutenant Hill of the San Joseph had been appointed provost marshal "upon the occasion" and would be responsible for taking Captain Ramage into custody and delivering him "in due time" for his trial, but in view of Captain Ramage's duties as the commanding officer of His Majesty's ship the Calypso, it had been thought fit that Captain Ramage should remain a prisoner at large on board the Calypso but should surrender himself to the provost marshal at least an hour before the time appointed for the trial.
Even as the cutter came alongside the San Joseph, Ramage could guess that petty minds were at work, and that none of them was going to miss an opportunity to try to humiliate Captain Ramage. The trouble with petty minds, Ramage had long ago decided, was that they contained only petty thoughts.
As the cutter came alongside and painter and sternfast were secured, a voice bellowed down from on deck: "Captain Ramage come on board."
Ramage leaned over and after a slight wink said to Southwick: "Just react to whatever I say; we'll have some sport with these fellows. Now," he said, raising his voice, "I've just remembered that I've left some documents on board the Calypso that I need for the trial."
Southwick slapped his knee. "Well, I'm blessed, sir: we'll have to go back and fetch them."
"We shall indeed, and we'll have to hurry or we'll be late."
By now Hill had appeared at an open gunport and he said, with as much sternness as he dare muster: "Captain Ramage - you're being hailed from on deck."
"Am I? Well, whatever they want, it must wait: I'm under an arrest and the provost marshal has to deliver me -" he stopped and dug into his pocket for his watch. He flipped open the front, then closed it down again and put it back in his pocket. "- to the court on board the Salvador del Mundo in half an hour. I've forgotten some papers so I have to return to the Calypso. Boarding the San Joseph will only waste time and I've no wish to get the provost marshal into trouble."
"But you can't go back to the Calypso" Hill yelped, "that -"
"Then you'll have to explain to the court why you prevented Captain Ramage making any interrogatories or presenting his defence, apart from explaining that you kept the court waiting because you insisted on Captain Ramage being taken on board the San Joseph."
"Ordering you on board is not my idea, sir," Hill protested. "I had -"
"Well, you'd better run along and explain your problems to whoever had the idea and owns the voice up there on the maindeck. I'd like to know the names and ranks, too, so that I can report them to the president of the court."
Hill vanished and, in what seemed only a few seconds, was scrambling down into the boat. "If you are ready, sir," he said nervously, "we can go back to the Calypso."
Ramage turned and nodded to Jackson. "Cast off and carry on."
Once the cutter was clear of the San Joseph, Jackson asked conversationally, "The Salvador, sir?"
Ramage nodded and ignored Lieutenant Hill's protest about going to the Calypso.
"Reminds you of old times, don't it, sir?" Jackson said. "The Salvador del Mundo over there, the San Joseph over here -" he pointed to the west. "Just needs the San Nicolas and San Ysidro and it'd be like the day we lost the Kathleen."
"Sir," Hill said, not realizing Ramage was unclipping his sword because his hands were hidden beneath the tarpaulin.
"Don't interrupt my thoughts," Ramage said severely. "What you don't know is precisely how the Salvador del Mundo and the San Joseph and the San Ysidro and San Nicolas were captured, but almost every other man in this boat can tell you exactly, because they were there."
"Indeed, sir," Hill said disdainfully, "how interesting."
"Yes, interesting because -" A sudden thought struck Ramage. "Tell me, lieutenant, have you ever had a shot fired at you by the enemy - cannon, musket or pistol?"
"Well, not exactly, sir."
"Have you ever been in action?"
"Well, no, sir."
"Then don't ever sneer at those that have," Ramage said sourly, realizing he was hardly being fair to the wretched lieutenant. "You can see the Salvador and San Joseph. The two ships not here are the San Ysidro and San Nicolas. They were leading the enemy fleet, and both ships were captured by Commodore (as he then was) Nelson."
"I know that, sir," Hill said petulantly.
"But do you know how the commodore caught up with the two Dons who were trying to escape?"
"Well, no sir, I don't know all the details of the battle."
"You ought to ask the seaman holding the tiller of this cutter."
"Sir, I can hardly -"
"Or any of the first six men at the oars."
"Oh, sir -"
"Or this gentleman sitting here," Ramage said relentlessly, indicating Southwick.
Southwick sniffed and said loudly: "You might even ask Mr Ramage, because if it hadn't been for him none of the ships would have been taken and Sir John Jervis would never have got his earldom!"
By now Hill's embarrassment and annoyance had gone: instead his curiosity was aroused. He was cautious enough to ask Southwick, rather than risk an encounter with Ramage. "Tell me, then, what happened?"
"Mr Ramage was a lieutenant then, with about as much seniority as you've got and from the looks of it a lot younger, and he commanded the Kathleen cutter, and to stop the four Dons escaping -"