But Lyon was skeptical as to the story of love, a sentiment about which he knew very little; and there was a spirit of opposition in him, too, that generally induced him to take the converse of most propositions that were started.

The prisoner was dismissed, and the court closed its doors, to make up its decision by itself, in the usual form.
We should do injustice to Cuffe, if we did not say that he had some feeling in favor of the gallant foe who had so often foiled him.

Could he have had his will at that moment, he would have given Raoul his lugger, allowed the latter a sufficient start, and then gladly have commenced a chase round the Mediterranean, to settle all questions between them.

But it was too much to give up the lugger as well as the prisoner.

Then his oath as a judge had its obligations also, and he felt himself bound to yield to the arguments of the Judge Advocate, who was a man of technicalities, and thought no more of sentiment than Lyon himself.
The result of the deliberation, which lasted an hour, was a finding against the prisoner.