"Would you?" Yorke asked sharply.
"Yes. Don't forget there are never enough ships to go round. That means no one gets a command if there's the slightest doubt about him."
"And favouritism," Southwick murmured.
"True enough. If you're out of favour with the local admiral - or the Admiralty - you'll be left to rot on half pay for the rest of your life."
"I still think you're mad," Yorke said doggedly. "You're staking everything - including your life - on slipping me and St Brieuc into court and getting one or both of us giving evidence before Goddard has time to withdraw the charges. What's to stop him withdrawing the charges after we've started giving evidence? Or even after we've both told everything we know? Have you thought of that?"
Ramage nodded wearily. "Yes, I've thought about it until my head spins." Yorke was trying to be helpful, and he deserved an explanation; but Ramage already knew he was taking an enormous risk, and having decided to take it he didn't want to discuss it because further talk only mirrored and enlarged his fears.
"I'm counting on several things. The main one is the natural curiosity of the court. By the time you and St Brieuc arrive, all the prosecution evidence will have been given on the assumption that you are both dead. I'm hoping that whatever Goddard tries, the court will want to hear what you have to say. It may lead to them deciding against allowing Goddard to withdraw the charges, and that means the court is bound to find me not guilty.
"Almost as important," Ramage continued, "are the minutes of the trial. Don't forget that as far as the Admiralty is concerned, all that happens in a trial is what is recorded in the minutes. Even if the charges are withdrawn, the minutes have to go to the Admiralty. With a little luck, those minutes might say enough."
"If only we knew who St Brieuc really is," Yorke mused. "I wonder if there's any need for secrecy now ... The point is, if he's really influential, would Goddard be forced to carry on? Be too frightened - or too flustered - to withdraw the charges?"
"I've thought of that, too. All I know is that Goddard is scared of him."
Southwick coughed politely. "Supposing the gentleman is important, sir. Suppose the Admiral does withdraw the charges. Would the French gentleman be sufficiently important to write to the Admiralty - or the Commander-in-Chief - and tell them what he knows?"
Both Yorke and Ramage stared at the Master.
"He might be!" Yorke exclaimed.
"What matters," Ramage said, "is whether or not Goddard - and the court - thinks he is! Well, you've earned your tot for today, Mr Southwick!"
But a moment later Yorke was again looking gloomy.
"It's still a fantastic risk, Ramage. Listen, why don't you take advantage of what Southwick's just suggested, only modify it. First, let it be known that St Brieuc and I are still alive, so that the Peacock cowardice charges are dropped. Let Goddard bring up a charge over the loss of the Triton. And ask St Brieuc to write a report for the Admiralty?"
Ramage shook his head. "For a start, anything St Brieuc wrote would then seem vindictive: in effect he'd be denying charges which Goddard hasn't made -"
"But he has - dammit, you have the wording in front of you!"
"- which Goddard hasn't made in court. Until they're made in court they don't exist, at least, not in this sense. All St Brieuc could write is that Lieutenant Ramage didn't behave in a cowardly fashion over the Peacock attack, and My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty would reply, 'Who the devil said he did?'"
"That sounds likely enough," Yorke admitted. "It's just that it's almost as though you're staking everything on the turn of a card."
"I am," Ramage said. "That's what I've been trying to tell you. If I can't completely smash Goddard on the Peacock charges, I'm finished. He'll keep hammering away at me. If not this week, then next. If not this year, then in a couple of years' time. Don't forget, this isn't the first time he's tried."
"We'll all do our best," Yorke said soberly. "We'll keep out of sight in La Perla, even though she's like an oven in this sun."
Ramage nodded gratefully. "I'll try and get the trial brought on quickly. I don't think there'll be much delay."
After Yorke and Southwick had gone, Ramage went through the rest of the documents left by the deputy judge advocate. The second in the pile was from the man himself, a routine letter to the prisoner.
"Sir Pilcher Skinner, Vice-Admiral of the Blue and Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels employed at or about to be employed upon the Jamaica Station, having directed a court martial to be held on you for cowardice in action, tomorrow morning at half past eight o'clock on board His Majesty's ship Arrogant. I am to acquaint you therewith, and enclose for your information Rear-Admiral Goddard's complaints against you.
"You are therefore desired to prepare yourself for the same, and if you have any persons to appear as witnesses in your behalf, you will send me a list of their names that they may be duly and speedily warned to attend the said court martial."
A corresponding letter would have been sent to the Rear-Admiral by the deputy judge advocate asking for the list of prosecution witnesses Goddard wanted to call "in support of the charges".
Half past eight o'clock tomorrow morning! Ramage snatched up the pen and quickly scribbled a letter to the deputy judge advocate saying he wished to call the former Master of the Triton, Edward Southwick, and the Master's mate, George Appleby. He was just going to sign it when he decided to include Jackson and Stafford. He would not call them, in fact, but it would give them a day or two on board another ship, and they deserved a change. He added a postscript: "In view of the fact that I have been notified that the trial starts in sixteen hours' time this is my first list of witnesses: a second list will follow later."
He called the corporal, sent off the letter, and was told he was being transferred to the Lion in half an hour. Before that the corporal had to hand over responsibility for his prisoner to the Lion's Marine lieutenant, who would act as provost marshal. "'E'll be glad o' the four bob a day," the corporal said. "'E's got four nippers."
A good thing some deserving soul was gaining by his arrest, Ramage thought sourly, as he wrote a quick note to Southwick.
"My trial fixed for half past eight tomorrow morning on board the Arrogant. Assume haste is due to the fact captains now available have to sail soon. I have asked for you, Appleby, Jackson and Stafford as witnesses. Please bring my journal, your log, the Triton's muster book, La Perla's log, particularly for the period under my command. Also bring with you personally a dozen circular samples of the ballast. Ask our friends to come on board the Arrogant at exactly half past ten tomorrow morning. They should insist on seeing me and if necessary send in visiting cards."
Early that evening Ramage was taken out to the Lion. Captain Croucher, presumably on orders from the Admiral, had given instructions to the Lieutenant of Marines acting as provost marshal to take a large escort which would have been more suitable for bringing a wild elephant on board.
He had been led from his room by the corporal, whose sheepish manner showed his own view, to find the lieutenant with a dozen Marines. He read Ramage his warrant in a loud voice, with a crowd of gaping seamen for an audience.
Amid much stamping of feet, thumping of muskets and clouds of pipeclay they had marched to the jetty, where the Lion's yawl waited: Her masts were not stepped, so Goddard intended that she should be rowed through the anchored ships. No one was to be deprived of the sight of Lieutenant Lord Ramage sitting in the stern-sheets, with the citizens of Kingston protected from robbery, rape or arson by a dozen alert Marines with bayonets fixed while the provost marshal held Ramage's surrendered sword across his knees.