ing scoundrel with an ugly scar across his cheek made a
savage swing at me with his sword, but before the blow could fall the
pirate's cutlass was sent flying from his grasp, and he uttered a shriek
of pain and seized his arm where Brand's blow had fallen.

"'I don't make war on children,' was all that the Captain said.

"Fifteen minutes later the _Saucy_ had been ransacked and set on fire,
and sick at heart I was on board the schooner, having been given to
understand that my name had been entered as a pirate's apprentice, and
that I was a regular member of the crew and must obey orders.

"At once the word was passed to get the vessel under way, and I found
myself trailing on to the fore-topsail halyards alongside of a
sad-looking lad of about my own age, who was addressed by the men as
Dick, and who, I took it rightly, had been forced to join the _Dragon_
under similar conditions to my own.

"That night we two found ourselves in the same watch, and, after
answering to roll-call, we stowed ourselves away between two of the guns
and exchanged confidences. Later on we talked over various plans to gain
our freedom. Dick informed me that the schooner was on her way to the
pirates' stronghold, where he had been once before, on the island of
Tortugas, there to divide the spoils of the voyage, and to gamble and
carouse for several days before starting on another expedition.

"Two days later we reached the island in a small securely locked bay on
the western side. After lowering and furling the sails, a chest about
two feet square was brought out on deck, and its contents, consisting of
gold and silver, money and jewels, were divided among the men by Captain
Brand. After that a barrel of rum was lowered into the long boat, and
the crew entered her and rowed away, leaving the Captain and we two boys
the only ones on board.

"Late in the evening Captain Brand ordered Dick to row him ashore, and I
was left alone. About an hour later Dick sculled the boat quietly
alongside out of the darkness, climbed on board, and addressed me in an
excited whisper:

"'Now's our time, Sterling; the Captain has gone up to his shore house
and thinks I'm waiting for him on the beach; we will cut the cable, and
the wind will set us out of the bay; they can't follow us, for I've sent
their boat adrift, with the plug pulled out so that it will sink!'

"While Dick ran to the wheel I jumped forward and sawed my knife through
the anchor hawser, and