a clapped her hands together, to summon the old woman of the
band, who quickly made her appearance at the door.

"Supper immediately, Hecate!" said the girl.

The woman nodded and withdrew. And in a few moments she reappeared and
summoned them in to the evening meal.

The supper was served in the rudest possible fashion. There was neither
table nor chairs. A fine table-cloth not too clean was spread upon the
floor, and on it were arranged a few plain articles of food such as
could be quickly prepared.

"You will excuse our imperfect housekeeping, I hope, Mrs. Berners. The
fact is we have just moved in, and have not got quite comfortably
settled yet," laughed the captain as he folded his own cloak as a seat
for Sybil, and led her up and placed her on it, and sat himself down by
her side.

Other members of the band joined them at the meal, and Captain Inconnu
and Gentiliska did the honors.

Fortunately there was nothing stronger than wine set before the men, and
not much of that; and upon those who had been accustomed to strong
brandy, and a great deal of it, this lighter beverage had but little
effect. So, to Sybil's great relief, she perceived that they continued
sober to the end of their repast.

"Come in now, and let us take a look at the contents of the mail bags!
That may afford some amusement to our lady guest," said Captain Inconnu,
when they all arose from the supper.

They passed into the front parlor, where the robber chief with his own
hands opened the mail bags, and turning them up side down, emptied all
their contents in a heap in the middle of the floor.

The robbers came and sat down around the pile, and began to seize and
tear open the letters.

"Hallo, there, my men! When you open a letter with money in it, hand
over the money to Gentiliska; she will gather and keep it all until we
have gone entirely through this pile, and then we will divide it
equitably, if not equally, among you," commanded the captain as he
himself took a seat in the circle and began to assist in "distributing
the mail." He also set the example of scrupulously handing over the
money he found in the letters he opened, to the keeping of Gentiliska,
who collected it all in a little pile on her lap.

Some of the letters he read aloud to the company for their amusement,
such, for instance, as sentimental letters from city swains to their
country sweethearts, begging letters from boys at college to their
parents and guardians