trembled, though he tried studiously to keep it as calm as though he
were reading off the items on a bill of lading in the ordinary course
of business.

But if the work was exciting, it was none the less very slow. Once in
a while there would be a word that was wholly outside Drew's
vocabulary. In such cases the captain put it down in the original
Spanish for Drew to study out later by the aid of his dictionary. Then
at the points where the story seemed most important, there would be a
crease in the paper that would eliminate an entire line. Other words
had faded so completely that the magnifying glass failed to help.

But at last, despite all the tantalizing breaks, the final word was
reached, and the captain sat back and drew a long breath while the
younger man refolded the paper.

"Well now," said Tyke, "lets have it all from the first word to the
last. An' Cap'n, read mighty slow."

Amid a breathless silence, Captain Hamilton commenced reading what he
had taken down.

"Trinidad, March 18, 17--.

"In the name of God, amen.

"I Ramon ...... rez unworthy sin .......... ...... fit .... ......
name ...... .... lips .... ...... ...... knowing ..... .... .... ....
.... mercy ........ ...... ...... shown none, expecting .... .... ....
.... .... .... deepest hell yet .... .... .... .... .... Mary .... ....
.... .... saints .... shriving .... .... Holy Church .... .... ....
confess .... .... .... life.

".... .... .... wild .... .... .... .... .... .... .... Tortugas ....
French .... _Reine Marguerite_ .... .... .... .... .... .... death.

From there we ran to Port au Spain .... .... .... plundering .... ....
.... .... city, .... many men and boys and .... .... .... women and
..... Off one of Baha .... Cays .... .... .... galleon .... .... ....
.... fought stoutly .... .... .... .... walk .... plank. Other ships
.... .... .... .... .... forgotten. We took great spoils .... ....
.... .... accursed ... ... spent .... .... living,

"I .... .... .... captain. Down in the Caribbean Sea we .... ....
caravel .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... one hundred and
twenty. Lost ship in tornado .... .... .... .... got another.

"Many more .... .... .... .... .... .... .... weary .... .... telling
we .... .... .... God .... man.

"At last .... .... ten .... .... .... butchery .... frigates .... ....
ch ..... Fled to one of the .... islands .... careened. Tired knowing
.... .... sooner or la