On the present occasion, he was ready to say whatever he thought would most conform to his shipmate's wishes, and luckily he construed the expression of the other's countenance aright.
"I _do_ know the prisoner, as you call him, 'squire," Ithuel answered, after the pause that was necessary to come to his conclusion--"I _do_ know him _well_; and a master crittur he is when he fairly gets into a current of your English trade.

Had there been a Rule Yvard on board each of the Frenchmen at the Nile, over here in Egypt, Nelson would have found that his letter stood in need of some postscripts, I guess." "Confine your answers, witness, to the purport of the question," put in Cuffe, with dignity.
Ithuel stood too much in habitual awe of the captain of his old ship to venture on an answer; but if looks could have done harm, that important functionary would not have escaped altogether uninjured.

As he said nothing, the examination proceeded.
"You know him to be Raoul Yvard, the commander of the French privateer lugger, le Feu-Follet ?" continued the Judge Advocate, deeming it prurient to fortify his record of the prisoner's confession of identity with a little collateral evidence.
"Why--I _some_ think"-- answered Ithuel, with a peculiar provincialism, that had a good deal of granite in it--"that is, I kind o' conclude"-- catching an assent from Raoul's eye--"oh! yes--of _that_ there isn't the smallest mite of doubt in the world.

He's the captain of the lugger, and a right down good one he is!" "You were with him in disguise when he came, into the Bay of Naples yesterday ?" "I in disguise, 'squire!--What have I got to disguise?
I am an American of different callings, all of which I practyse as convenience demands; being a neutral, I've no need of disguises to go anywhere.

I am never disguised except when my jib is a little bowsed out; and that, you know, is a come-over that befals most seafaring men at times." "You need answer nothing concerning yourself that will tend to criminate you.