that they still remained shut up in their prison.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

DAME PEARSON'S HISTORY--ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE PIRATE AND QUEEN'S SHIP.

Pearson all this time had never appeared, though Elizabeth told Jack
that he was still on the island. One day, however, he heard his voice
raised to a high and angry pitch, very unlike the calm tone in which he
used generally to speak.

"This is the sort of watch you fellows keep over your prisoners!"
Pearson was exclaiming. "While you are in your drunken fits the whole
island might be attacked and taken, and all our vessels cut out. You
say you do not know when they got off? Then why did you not, the
instant you made the discovery, put to sea in the first vessel you could
get ready, and make chase after them? Go! hasten now, villains! they
can scarcely be many leagues away, and are sure to be steering a course
for Port Royal."

Some grumbling remonstrances were heard in return to this address.

"Well, knaves, well, you shall sail in the sloop, and I'll follow in the
ship as soon as she can be got ready for sea," exclaimed the pirate
chief. "If you are afraid of being caught by a queen's ship, we shall
be in time to save you from hanging; why, and if not, you will only meet
the fate which is certain to be yours one of these days!"

"And yours too, captain!" shouted one of the men. "Why do you bring
that up before us?"

"Marry, indeed! because I have a fancy to please you. There's this
difference between us, however: you are afraid of it, and would do any
sneaking thing to avoid the noose! I have no fear of that or any thing
else, and so would not step out of my way to escape it. And now delay
no longer, but be off with you all. I'll be down at the harbour anon,
and we'll see how quickly we gentlemen rovers can get a ship ready for
sea."

From the conversation he had overheard, Jack thus knew that his friends
had escaped. At the same time he dreaded the consequences of their
being overtaken, well knowing from the temper of the pirate and his
followers that, should they be captured, they would have but little
chance of preserving their lives. He earnestly hoped, therefore, that
they might escape safely to Port Royal. Two days after this he heard
from Elizabeth that Pearson and his followers had left the island in
their big ship.

"Now you may, without risk, tell my kind second-mother who you are. It
will make her more ready, I doubt not, to plead f