he did not speak a word.

Even in the dreadful peril which enveloped him, he was too proud to
ask for mercy from such wretches.

But the appeal of Inez to Pomp had produced its effect. When she
turned her misty eyes upon him, and pleaded in such piteous tones for
mercy, the mouth of the huge African twitched, and any one could see
that a hard struggle was going on within.

"If you don't keep those bad men from hurting Captain Bergen," she
added, in the same impassioned manner, "I'll never speak to
you--never, never, never--there!"

This was accompanied by a stamp of her tiny foot, and then she burst
into weeping--sobbing as if her heart would break.

Hyde Brazzier stood irresolute, and seemed on the point of leaping,
knife in hand, upon the captain. But the prayer of the innocent child
had settled the question, and the sable Hercules sprang in front of
the endangered man.

"Dis 'ere thing hab gone fur 'nough; let de cap'in alone. If dere's
any killin' to be done, why I'm de one dat's gwine to do it."

The two mutineers were wild with fury, for this unexpected show of
mercy promised to upset the whole scheme they had been hatching for
weeks. Both Redvignez and Brazzier protested vehemently, seeking to
show that it was imperatively necessary that both the officers should
be put out of the way, and that since the mate was gone, it was the
sheerest folly to allow the captain to remain.

But the words were thrown away.

The prayer of little Inez Hawthorne had reached the heart of the
gigantic African, and the sight of the child standing there weeping
was more than he could bear, although it but served to add to the
exasperation of the other two savages.

Captain Bergen did not stand mute and motionless during all this rush
of events, which really occupied but a few seconds. As soon as he saw
the way open, he took the hand of little Inez and began moving in the
direction of the schooner, his purpose being to secure refuge upon
that if possible. As he moved away he saw Pomp and the two mutineers
in conference, for Brazzier and Redvignez at that moment would have
given a large share of their prospective wealth for the purpose of
disposing finally and forever of the captain.

"We have been in mutinies before, Pomp, and the only safe course--and
that ain't safe by any means--is to follow the rule that dead men tell
no tales."

"Dat may be de rule, but it ain't gwine to work in dis case; an' de
reason am 'cause de