g with his feet on the deck.

"I know I have; I have made you spare those of my colour."

"I did not mean that; you have irritated me so as to make me break my
oath."

"That was my own doing--my fault rather than yours. I had no right to
speak as I did; but I was in a great rage, and that is the truth. I do
believe that, if I had had a pistol in my hand, I should have fired it
at you; so we may cry quits on that score."

"I am angry with myself--the more so, that I little imagined that you
would have remained with me after my breaking my oath. Either you must
have felt great interest about those people, or you must have great
confidence in me, a confidence winch I have proved that I do not
deserve."

"That you did forget yourself, I grant; but I have that confidence that
it will be a warning to you, and you will not forget yourself again; I
therefore remain with you with perfect confidence, feeling I am quite
safe, until you think proper to give me my liberty."

"You will wish to leave me then?"

"I have relations and friends--a profession to follow. What can I gain
by remaining here, except your friendship? I never will be a pirate,
you may be assured, I wish from my heart that you were not one."

"And who should be pirates if the blacks are not?" replied Vincent.
"Have they not the curse of Cain? Are they not branded? Ought not
their hands to be against every one but their own race? What is the
Arab but the pirate of the desert--the sea of sand? Black is the colour
for pirates. Even the white pirates feel the truth of this, or why do
they hoist the _black_ flag?"

"At all events, it's a profession that seldom ends well."

"And what matter does that make? We can die but once--I care not how
soon. I have not found life so very sweet as to care for it, I assure
you. Cato, there is but one thing sweet in existence--one feeling that
never clogs and never tires, and that is revenge."

"Are not love and friendship sweet? I certainly know nothing about the
first."

"I know no more than you do of it. They say friendship is the more
lasting; and as a proof of how lasting that is I snapped my pistol at
you, and, had it not missed fire, should have killed the only one for
whom I ever felt friendship in this world."

"That's a bad habit you have of carrying your pistols at all times; they
are too handy, and give no time or reflection. Only suppose, now, you
had blown out my brains, you would have be