To rob Ireland was to rob the friend of France.

To whom were the arms about to be sold?
To any that would buy them .-- None but the enemies of France needed arms.

Her sons were all armed already.
Therefore the traffic was not only wicked but treasonable, and for treason there was but one punishment--death.
At this the audience, who had crowded into the court, cheered loudly.
Had we any defence?
any witnesses?
Of course we had none but ourselves.
Then the sentence of the court was pronounced.

Captain Cochin was to be guillotined next morning.

The rest of us were to be hanged in chains that afternoon, and our bodies left exposed to view for three days as a warning to pirates and traitors.
So ended our trial; and had it not been so tragic in its ending, I could have laughed at the farce of it.
We were marched back to our prison to spend the few hours that remained of our lives; and on the way our attention was directed by a friendly guard to a great gallows with accommodation on it for at least ten persons side by side.