and
chatting disjointedly as they sucked at their pipes.

"It is thirsty work sitting there and grilling in the sun, is it not,
lads?" said I in French. "Come up to the house and drink Senor
Morillo's health in a jug of sangaree; and then Captain Lenoir wants you
to carry down some fruit and vegetables that Senor Morillo has given him
for the ship's use."

"_Bien_! we come, monsieur," they answered with one accord; and the next
moment they were all slouching toward the house, a pace or two in my
wake. I traversed a good three-quarters of the distance from the wharf
to the house, and then halted suddenly and smote my forehead violently,
as though I had just remembered something.

"Dolt that I am," I exclaimed in French, "I had almost forgotten!
Indeed I have completely forgotten something--your mate's name. I have
a message for him." And I looked the man nearest me straight in the
eye.

"Ah!" he ejaculated; "monsieur doubtless means Monsieur Favart, our
chief mate--"

"Of course," I cut in. "Favart is the name. Thanks! Go you on to the
house and walk straight in; you will find your friends awaiting you. As
for me--" I flung out my hand with an expression of disgust, and turned
back as though to return to the wharf edge. But as soon as the
quartette had fairly entered the house and I was assured, by certain
subdued sounds, that they had fallen into the trap that had been set for
them, I turned on my heel again, and presently found the four prisoners
in process of being secured.

"I am sorry, lads," I said to them in French, "that I have been
compelled to resort to subterfuge to make prisoners of you, but, you
see, we are all invalids here, and not strong enough to take your ship
by force; and therefore, since it is imperative that we should have her,
I have been compelled to use guile. However, I will keep my word with
you in the matter of something to quench your parched throats; and if
you choose to be sensible, and make no foolish attempts at escape, you
shall have no reason to complain of harsh treatment."

"Ah, Monsieur Anglais, if we had but known--" answered one of the
Frenchmen, with a rather rueful smile. "However," he continued,
shrugging his shoulders, "although you have contrived to get hold of
us--and the captain--you have not yet got the ship; and before you can
get her you will be obliged to use a great deal more guile than sufficed
for our capture; for Monsieur Favart is a sharp one, I