had agreed to show a red light to our own vessel,
as a signal for her to slip out also, if we were successful; so we
looked round for a red lantern, and presently found one. The signal was
made, and immediately answered by three flashes of a white light from
our old ship, as decided upon before leaving her. Both craft were soon
under way for the open sea, and kept each other in view by the light of
the stars; and at daybreak we could only just see the land. We kept on,
however, until mid-day, to make ourselves doubly safe, by which time we
had run the land out of sight; when both craft were hove-to. Then the
crew of the prize were brought up on deck; and as we were, after our
recent rights, very short-handed, we gave them the choice of joining us
or of walking the plank. They were, for the most part, a rascally lot
of men, and did not need the persuasion of `the plank' to join us;
indeed they seemed glad to have the opportunity. By this means we
replenished our crew, and our total number now exceeded by forty-nine
that which we were before taking the galley. We had, therefore, a crew
of two hundred and twenty-five men, which was a big crew for so small a
ship. But then, as Leirya said, we had to provide against casualties.
Seventeen men walked the plank, rather than join us, and after that we
made the necessary transfer of stores and other material, and sank our
old vessel. We were now ready and well equipped for our piratical
undertaking, and we started at once on our nefarious career.

"I cannot recount to you all that took place, for many long years have
passed since I first threw in my lot with that scoundrel, Jose Leirya;
but we took countless ships, and accumulated a vast amount of treasure,
the most part of which is buried in a certain spot. I know the bay
where the hiding-place is; but exactly where the `cache' itself is I
know not. Of that, however, a little later on. To shorten my story--of
which I expect you are now heartily tired--I will pass over my life and
experiences during the years that I have been with the pirate, until
about six months ago. But I must tell you first that, what with fights,
disease, punishment by death, accident, and so on, our crew gradually
changed until I and two others, with Jose Leirya himself, were the only
survivors of the original galley-slaves. The other men hated me, and
for some time had been putting about false reports of me, and other
matters to my great har