that it would be only fair to let their
companions in misfortune know the worst at once, then all could take
counsel together, and as "in a multitude of counsellors there is
wisdom," some one might possibly hit upon a happy idea whereby they
might be enabled to escape from this new strait.

They accordingly descended to the cabin, where their reappearance had
been anxiously looked for.

"Well, captain," exclaimed Dale upon their entrance, "what news have you
for us? Have you made arrangements for our conveyance to Valparaiso? I
hope we are not going to be kept cooped up very long in this wretched
little vessel."

"We are to leave her sooner than I anticipated," replied Captain
Staunton, "but I regret to say that I have been quite unable to make any
arrangements of a satisfactory character. And, as to news, I must ask
you to prepare yourselves for the worst--or almost the worst--that you
could possibly hear. We are on board _a pirate_, and in the hands of as
unscrupulous a set of rascals as one could well encounter."

The skipper then proceeded to describe _in extenso_ his interview with
the pirate captain, throwing out such ideas as presented themselves to
him in the course of his narrative, and winding up by pointing out to
them that though the situation was serious enough it was not altogether
desperate, the pirate leader being evidently anxious to escape from his
present position, and as evidently disposed to look with friendly eyes
upon all who might seem to have it in their power to assist him, either
directly or indirectly, in the attainment of his purpose.

"Our first endeavour," he said in conclusion, "must be to impress upon
this man that, though we are his prisoners, we are still a power, by
reason of our numbers as well as of our superior intelligence and
knowledge of the world, and that we can certainly help him if we have
the opportunity; and this idea once firmly established in his mind, he
will listen to and very possibly fall in with some of our suggestions,
all of which, I suppose I need hardly say, must be made with a single
eye to our own ultimate escape. Our future is beset by difficulties,
very few of which we can even anticipate as yet; but I think if each one
will only take a hopeful view of the situation, it will be singular
indeed if one or another of us does not hit upon a means of escape."

By the time that he had finished speaking the brains of his hearers were
literally teeming wi