His mouth fell open.
"Governor Steed!" he echoed.

Then he lowered his cane, swung round, and without another word to Blood rolled away towards the other end of the shed where the Governor was standing at the moment.
Peter Blood chuckled.

But his triumph was dictated less by humanitarian considerations than by the reflection that he had baulked his brutal owner.
The Spaniard, realizing that in this altercation, whatever its nature, the doctor had stood his friend, ventured in a muted voice to ask him what had happened.

But the doctor shook his head in silence, and pursued his work.

His ears were straining to catch the words now passing between Steed and Bishop.