"I'll let you judge of that for yourselves," replied Drew, taking the
revised draft from his pocket. "Of course, I can't say that it's
exactly right. Some of the missing words and sentences I had to guess
at. But it's as nearly right as I know how to make it."

He waited while Grimshaw and Captain Hamilton lighted their cigars, and
then proceeded to read:

"Trinidad, March 18, 17 .....

"In the name of God, amen.

"I, Ramon Alvarez, unworthy sinner that I am and not fit to take the
name of God upon my lips, and well knowing that I deserve no mercy who
have ever shown none, expecting to be plunged into the deepest hell,
yet basing my only hope on the Virgin Mary and the blessed saints and
the shriving of Holy Church, do hereby confess the misdeeds of my life.

"From my youth up I was wild. I was with the buccaneers who, off the
Tortugas, captured the French ship, _Reine Marguerite_, all of whose
crew and passengers we put to death. From there we ran to Port au
Spain, ravaging and plundering. We captured the city, killing most of
the men and boys and carrying off the women and girls. Off one of the
Bahama Cays we took a Spanish galleon, and although her people fought
stoutly, we made them finally walk the plank. Other ships we captured
whose names I have forgotten. We took great spoils, but the money was
accursed and was soon spent in wild living.

"I myself soon became a captain. Down in the Caribbean Sea we won a
caravel and killed all on board, one hundred and twenty. I lost my
ship in a tornado, but soon got another.

"Many more evil deeds we did that would make me weary with the telling.
We feared neither God nor man.

"At last, after ten years or more of butchery, the nations sent many
frigates in chase of us. I fled to one of the islands and careened my
ship. Tired, knowing I would be taken sooner or later, I made up my
mind that I would capture one more rich prize and then be done with my
wickedness.

"We captured the ship _Guadalquiver_. The fight was desperate and the
decks ran with blood. We took ...... thousand doubloons, many pearls
and jewels of price.

"I knew of an island off the beaten track where there was good hiding
to be found. I took the cutter one night and went ashore to bury
treasure. Two men with me mutinied and I killed them both. And there
the booty is still, unless it has been taken away, which God forbid.

"Now, standing mayhap on the very brink of hell, I