Free Captain Caution by Kenneth Roberts

stretching out his hand, palm up, toward Marvin, "I have sacrificed a great deal to take the Olive Branch; for if I had not wished the barque for myself, I would not have fought this war brig, and so lost several men and suffered grave damage. It is not the business of a privateer to entangle himself with enemy cruisers. The odds against him are too great. You see that, I hope, sir."
    Marvin nodded.
    "Of coursel" Diron continued, as frank and open a gentleman in his speech, Marvin thought, as he had ever heard. "Of courser Therefore, it seems to me only reasonable that I should ask a small favor from this lady in return for giving back her valuable property. After all," he reminded Marvin mildly, "title to the Olive Branch passed to the British when they took her, and to me and my crew when we retook her."
    "The taking," Marvin persisted, "was not all on your side. Some of the taking was done by us, at some risk to ourselves. Meaning no offence, I must venture to remind you that our American courts might be more than sympathetic to this lady, if she should present her claim against yours."
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    Diron waved his hand languidly. "I find your reference to courts distasteful. There is a flavorof commercialism about it. It is difficult to remember, at times, that such a thing as chivalry still exists." He coughed deprecatingly. "Now this favor I have asked; in reality I have asked for nothing. In reality I have done a favor to the lady by suggesting to her how to act. Look here; there are British cruisers on your American coast as thick as bones in a herring. Your barque is slow; and if you run for home, you are nearly certain to be taken by a British frigate. But the nearer you come to England, the fewer English war craft you will see, for that has always been the custom of the English to harry the enemy in his own waters. Captain Argandeau will tell you this is so."
    Argandeau placed his knuckles above his eyes, with the forefingers extended. "I would be willing to sail into any English harbor this minute," he said, almost with indifference, "and make horns at the Griffonsl" He wagged the forefingers.
    "Of coursel" Diron exclaimed. "With all the English far from home, therefore, your barque can run safely into a French port, where there will be a ready market for her cargo. And if, on the way, you should be overhauled, you will have enough men aboard to fight off a heavy vessel."
    Slade nodded thoughtfully. "We'll have enough men to take a vessel, if we should feel like it enough to take more than one, if they're not large ones."
    Marvin stared at Slade and half rose to his feet, but sank back on his locker when Diron tapped him on the arm. "You see," Diron told him earnestly, "there will not only be the added safety of the route, but there will be these two fine seamen, Captain Slade and my friend, Captain Argandeau, to assist the lady with their knowledge and advice. Captain Argandeau, he knows the coast of France as he knows his own thumb."
    "I know it better," Argandeau said. "There is no part of it that I could not recognize on the darkest night, which is more than I can say of this." He held up a grimy thumb and with it polished an imaginary spot before his eyes. "There is no port in all France where there are not at least several people related to me " he stopped; then added, with an ingratiating smile "by marriage."
    Diron raised his eyebrows and held out his hands. "What more could one wish?" he asked Marvin. "I think it is great good fortune for the lady and for all of you that you encounter us."
    "I admit it," Marvin said readily. "Still, there are a few small points that I might mention - "
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    "Yes," Corunna interrupted, "you mightlOf course you mightl But you needn't! I consider myself fortunate to have the advice of these gentlemen, and I've taken itI"
    "Yes," Marvin said patiently, "but what's Captain Slade doing aboard the Olive BranchP He's got a brig of his own a slave brig.