‘Oh, he’ll be hanged. Run up at the yard-arm, and boats attending from every ship in the fleet.’ ‘That seems a little extreme.’ ‘Of course it is. Oh, what an infernal bore – witnesses going over to the flagship by the dozen, days lost … The Sophie a laughing-stock. Why will they report these things? The goat must be slaughtered – that’s but fair – and it shall be served out to the mess that informed on him.’ ‘Could you not set them both ashore – on separate shores, if you have strong feelings on the moral issue – and sail quietly away?’ ‘Well,’ said Jack, whose anger had died down. ‘Perhaps
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