The officers from the shore patrol were downcast as they watched the pirates sail off unscathed.
"Captain Balfour and the Governor will have our hides!" said the man who seemed to be their leader. So they turned around and headed back to a certain reprimand.
"Captain Jim Harris was docked here in Calcutta, and you let him escape" the Governor paced up and down in front of his desk. Captain Balfour and the shore patrol officer who had seen the Lady Jane leaving the port stood with their heads down. "He has the treasure map, and you let him escape! I could have you hung as a traitor!" he said beating the desk with his fist.
"Sir, what was I to do, I couldn't stop him!" ventured the officer
"Its true, Governor," Captain Balfour came to the defense of the lieutenant, "you can't blame him, he did what he could."
"Balfour is right. Your own guards here at your house should have apprehended the thief before he could even have come close to your safe!" The commanding voice of Colonel Bennett came from behind.
"Colonel, I didn't know you were here!" said the Governor in a sugar coated voice. "Do sit down, have some tea!"
"I'm not here to chat over a cup tea, Governor! There are some very serious matter at hand which must be addressed!" Colonel Bennett slapped his white gloves onto the Governor's desk. "Captain Balfour, I'm recruiting a crew of men to come with me immediately to follow Jim Harris. If we hurry, we should catch up with him by dawn tomorrow."
"But, Colonel, you don't know where he has gone." interrupted the Governor.
"As a Colonel in her Majesty's Army, I have a few idea as to the favorite locations for pirate hide-outs." he replied sarcastically. Then turning back to Captain Balfour, "I will require the use of your finest ship, and I make a formal request for volunteers, your very best if possible!"
"Yes sir, Colonel, I can guarantee it, and if you don't mind, Id' like to come along with you. My reputation and position is at stake seeing that pirate got into and out of Calcutta without my knowing it."
"Absolutely, Captain, I would be delighted to have you along!" the Colonel smiled pleasantly. "We will arrest that blackguard and retrieve the map before news of this could reach London."
"When shall we leave then, sir?" asked Captain Balfour
"Within the hour!" replied Colonel Bennett determinately as he looked at his pocket watch.
To be continued...
"Captain Balfour and the Governor will have our hides!" said the man who seemed to be their leader. So they turned around and headed back to a certain reprimand.
"Captain Jim Harris was docked here in Calcutta, and you let him escape" the Governor paced up and down in front of his desk. Captain Balfour and the shore patrol officer who had seen the Lady Jane leaving the port stood with their heads down. "He has the treasure map, and you let him escape! I could have you hung as a traitor!" he said beating the desk with his fist.
"Sir, what was I to do, I couldn't stop him!" ventured the officer
"Its true, Governor," Captain Balfour came to the defense of the lieutenant, "you can't blame him, he did what he could."
"Balfour is right. Your own guards here at your house should have apprehended the thief before he could even have come close to your safe!" The commanding voice of Colonel Bennett came from behind.
"Colonel, I didn't know you were here!" said the Governor in a sugar coated voice. "Do sit down, have some tea!"
"I'm not here to chat over a cup tea, Governor! There are some very serious matter at hand which must be addressed!" Colonel Bennett slapped his white gloves onto the Governor's desk. "Captain Balfour, I'm recruiting a crew of men to come with me immediately to follow Jim Harris. If we hurry, we should catch up with him by dawn tomorrow."
"But, Colonel, you don't know where he has gone." interrupted the Governor.
"As a Colonel in her Majesty's Army, I have a few idea as to the favorite locations for pirate hide-outs." he replied sarcastically. Then turning back to Captain Balfour, "I will require the use of your finest ship, and I make a formal request for volunteers, your very best if possible!"
"Yes sir, Colonel, I can guarantee it, and if you don't mind, Id' like to come along with you. My reputation and position is at stake seeing that pirate got into and out of Calcutta without my knowing it."
"Absolutely, Captain, I would be delighted to have you along!" the Colonel smiled pleasantly. "We will arrest that blackguard and retrieve the map before news of this could reach London."
"When shall we leave then, sir?" asked Captain Balfour
"Within the hour!" replied Colonel Bennett determinately as he looked at his pocket watch.
To be continued...
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