The Frenchmen, pinned against the wall, were helpless. The man in the officer’s uniform shouted “hands up!” and then pointed to Morel and said, in heavily accented French: “You, you French bastard, are you in charge?”
Morel recognised the accent – Corsican! Stunned, he could not find the words to reply.
The man turned his head and said casually to the sailor in the shako “shoot the bastard, Tino, and I’ll ask somebody else.”
“Aye aye, Giotto”, said the man, and swung his gun round until it pointed at Morel.
Morel, finding his voice said “Yes, I am in charge. Morel, Capitaine de corvette of the Imperial Navy. Who …?”
“What ship?”
“Molene” he pointed towards the head of the inlet.
“Ah” said the man, smiling, “I think not. His Majesty’s ship Molene has no need of your services.”