long-boat with the boatswain."

"But did you not say that you helped the women aboard of the long-boat?"

"Yes, sir, I did," I said.

There was a pause of a moment or two, and all sat regarding me.
Presently Mr. Elliott spoke again.

"And did you not then see that Captain Leach was absent from the boat?"
said he.

"No, sir," said I, "I did not; the boat was very full, and the air so
thick with gunpowder smoke that I could see little or nothing at any
distance."

"But did you not then take care to see that all your passengers were
safe aboard?"

"Why, no, sir," said I. "The order had been passed for all passengers to
go aboard the long-boat, and I supposed that Captain Leach had obeyed
with the rest. I was so occupied with the safety of the women just then
that I thought of nothing else."

"You say that the pirate England told you that Captain Leach had been
killed when they first came aboard the _Cassandra_. Did you take any
other evidence in the matter than his word?"

"Why, no, sir," said I, "I did not."

Mr. Elliott said "Humph!" and another short space of silence followed,
during which he played absently with the leaves of my report.

"But tell me, Captain Mackra," said he, presently, "did you not speak to
any one of your suspicions concerning Captain Leach after he had
quitted the ship on the night of the 21st in such a mysterious manner?"

"Why, no, sir," said I; "for I saw no sufficient grounds to accuse him
of any underhand practices."

"And yet," said a thin, middle-aged gentleman, with a sharp voice, whom
I afterwards found to be Mr. McFarland--"and yet you saw him quit the
_Cassandra_ in a most suspicious manner, and under the most suspicious
circumstances, and also had reason to suspect him of having knowledge of
the jewel. Why, then, did you not examine him publicly or put him under
arrest after he returned?"

"Sir," said I, "I disliked Captain Leach, and feared that my prejudice
might lead me astray."

"But, Captain Mackra," said the Governor, "your personal feelings should
never interfere with your duty."

I knew not where all these matters tended, but I began to be mightily
troubled in my mind concerning them. However, I had little time for
thought, for Mr. Elliott began questioning me again. He asked me if I
had told any one of my intended visit to the pirate-ship, of whom I had
seen there, and of what inducements I had offered to persuade them to
give me one of their crafts and ret