this pirate. Who on earth is King James?"

Aunt Amanda was also much relieved by the pirate's polite address.

"As long as you are my obedient servant," said she, "I'll thank you to
help us to get out of here as soon as possible. We didn't want to come
in the first place, and we are in a hurry to get out."

Captain Lingo laughed heartily. "They are in a hurry to get out, lads,"
he said to his companions; and at this they all laughed uproariously.

"I don't see anything to laugh at," said Aunt Amanda. "If we don't get
out of here soon, we'll catch our death of cold."

This made Captain Lingo laugh more heartily than before. "Ha! ha! ha!
Their death of cold! That would be a rare fine thing, but a bit too
slow, lads, eh?" And the other six laughed again, so that the walls of
the chamber echoed with their mirth.

"What do you mean by too slow?" said Aunt Amanda.

"Madam," said Captain Lingo, "we are a little pressed for time. We
really could not wait for you to die of colds."

"What?" said Aunt Amanda faintly, her feeling of confidence beginning to
ooze away. "Do you mean to say----?"

"Madam," said the pirate, seriously, "I will put it to you plainly.
Our treasure, which you have discovered, has taken a great deal of
hard work to accumulate. We really couldn't bear to lose it. The
people of this island, and a great many other people besides, have
been trying for many years to find it. You have not only found it,
but you have even gone so far as to open certain of our bags, in
spite of the warning posted above your heads. Now picture to
yourselves, dear madam and gentlemen, what consequences would
certainly ensue if you were to leave--here--ahem!--alive."

"Oh!" gasped Aunt Amanda. "Leave--here--alive!"

"All the fruits of our industry would be lost, and our own safety would
be imperilled. You will readily see that, of course. 'Tis a pity so many
will have to die at once, for it will mess up the place very badly, and
I always endeavor to be neat. But why, _why_ did so many of you come at
once? Couldn't you have come, say two at a time? It would have made so
much less trouble."

"Ho!" said Mr. Punch. "Hif we 'ad only stopped at 'ome, hall of us!"

"However, I do not wish you to feel too keenly the trouble you are
putting us to; my brave lads will cheerfully put up with the
inconvenience, though I must confess the amount of blood will be quite
unusual, and so many bodies will be troublesome to bury. I wish it we