ible; there will be more than one watch for your
pocket, more than one doubloon for your purse. Meanwhile, to dinner! My
stupor has converted me into an empty hogshead, and it will take me a
fortnight of hard eating to feel that I have broken my fast."

With a blow of the chopper he struck off a lump of the frozen wine, and
then fell to, eating perhaps as a man might be expected to eat who had
not had a meal for eight-and-forty years.

"There are two of your companions on deck," said I.

He started.

"Frozen," I continued; "they'll be the bodies of Trentanove and Joam
Barros?"

He nodded.

"There is no reason why they should be deader than you were. It is true
that Barros has been on deck whilst you have been below; but after you
pass a certain degree of cold fiercer rigours cannot signify."

"What do you propose?" said he, looking at me oddly.

"Why, that we should carry them to the fire and rub them, and bring them
to if we can."

"Why?"

I was staggered by his indifference, for I had believed he would have
shown himself very eager to restore his old companions and shipmates to
life. I was searching for an answer to his strange inquiry, "Why?" when
he proceeded,--

"First of all, my friend Trentanove was stone-blind, and Barros nearly
blind. Unless you could return them their sight with their life they
would curse you for disturbing them. Better the blackness of death than
the blackness of life."

"There is the body of the captain," said I.

He grinned.

"Let them sleep," said he. "Do you know that they are cutthroats, who
would reward your kindness with the poniard that you might not tell
tales against them or claim a share of the treasure in this vessel? Of
all desperate villains I never met the like of Barros. He loved blood
even better than money. He'd quench his thirst before an engagement with
gunpowder mixed in brandy. I once saw him choke a man--tut! he is very
well--leave him to his repose."

In the glow of the fire he looked uncommonly sardonic and wild, with his
long beard, bald head, flowing hair, shaggy brows, and little cunning
eyes, which seemed in their smallness to share in his grin, and yet did
not; and though to be sure he was some one to talk to and to make plans
with for our escape, yet I felt that if he were to fall into a stupor
again it would not be my hands that should chafe him into being.

"You knew those men in life," said I. "If the others are of the same
pattern as t