Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 3.djvu/57

 any event, had you killed me, and had my body been found, a coroner's inquest would have gone very hard with you, and a jury still worse."

"I should have laughed at them," said Talbot.

"You might have found it no laughing matter," said I.

"How 2" replied Talbot, " what are sentinels placed for, and loaded with ball?"

"To defend the ship," said I; "to give warning of approaching danger; to prevent men going out of the ship without leave; but never to take away the life of a man unless in defence of their own, or when the safety of the king's ship demands it."

"I deny your conclusion," said Talbot; "the articles of war denounce death to all deserters."

"True," said I, " they do, and also to many other crimes; but those crimes must first of all be proved before a court-martial. Now you cannot prove that I was deserting, and if you could, you had not the power to inflict death on me