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“Now what has happened, or what will happen, is this: Tinkler will be examined before the Admiralty Commissioners, who alone have the power to hear his evidence. By the grace of God and my copy of yesterday’s Times, that evidence cannot be impeached as biased or prejudiced. Tinkler knows nothing of the court-martial. He has not seen Fryer, and he does not know that you are within ten thousand miles of London. I left him at the Admiralty, in proper charge, and came in all haste to Portsmouth.”

I could think of nothing to say. I merely sat, staring like a dumb man, at Sir Joseph.

“Will the court-martial be reconvened to pass upon this evidence?” Dr. Hamilton asked.

“No, that cannot be done; it is unnecessary that it should be done. The Admiralty Commissioners who will receive Tinkler’s evidence have the power, in case the new testimony warrants it, of reversing the verdict of the court-martial in Byam’s case, and completely exonerating him. We shall have their decision within a few days, I hope.”