very good prices; and when the money was safely stored away in the
"Horn o' Plenty," he made ready to sail, for he declared he had
really no time to spare. "I must now make all possible haste," he
said to old Baragat, "to find Apple Island, put these boys ashore,
and then speed away to the city where lives my son. We must not fail
to get there in time to spend last Christmas over again."

On the second day, after the "Horn o' Plenty" had left the Island of
the Fragile Palm, one of the sailors who happened to be aloft noticed
a low, black, and exceedingly unpleasant-looking vessel rapidly
approaching. This soon proved to be the ship of a band of corsairs,
who, having heard of the large amount of money on the "Horn o'
Plenty," had determined to pursue her and capture the rich prize. All
sails were set upon the "Horn o' Plenty," but it soon became plain
that she could never outsail the corsair vessel.

"What our ship can do better than any thing else," said Baragat to
the Captain, "is to stop short. Stop her short, and let the other one
go by."

This manoeuvre was executed, but, although the corsair passed rapidly
by, not being able to stop so suddenly, it soon turned around and
came back, its decks swarming with savage men armed to the teeth.

"They are going to board us," cried Baragat. "They are getting out
their grappling-irons, and they will fasten the two ships together."

"Let all assemble on the quarter-deck," said the Captain. "It is
higher there, and we shall not be so much exposed to accidents."

The corsair ship soon ran alongside the "Horn o' Plenty," and in a
moment the two vessels were fastened together; and then the corsairs,
every man of them, each with cutlass in hand and a belt full of dirks
and knives, swarmed up the side of the "Horn o' Plenty," and sprang
upon its central deck. Some of the ferocious fellows, seeing the
officers and crew all huddled together upon the quarter-deck, made a
movement in that direction. This so frightened the chief mate that he
sprang down upon the deck of the corsair ship. A panic now arose, and
he was immediately followed by the officers and crew. The boys, of
course, were not to be left behind; and the Captain and Baragat felt
themselves bound not to desert the crew, and so they jumped also.
None of the corsairs interfered with this proceeding, for each one of
them was anxious to find the money at once. When the passengers and
crew of the "Horn o' Plenty" were all