light-heeled gentleman, may I ask?" said
the stranger.

"No other than that daring devil, Zappa," said the merchant. "You have
heard of him, doubtless?"

"I think I have somewhere heard his name mentioned," said the stranger.
"But has he already established so terrific a name for himself? You
described him as very young."

"Ay, but old in crime. A man who murders all his captives, and sinks
every ship he plunders, soon gets his name up in the world. It is one
of the various methods to gain notoriety. Each man to his taste."

"You are right, my friend," said the stranger, stretching out his arms
and yawning; "there are many methods by which a man may gain an elevated
position; and your friend, Signor Zappa, as you call him, seems to have
chosen a very certain one, at least, if he falls into the hands of the
governor of this island; who, judging from the specimens I saw hanging
up at the entrance of the port, treats such gentry with no slight
distinction, by placing them in the most conspicuous posts within his
jurisdiction."

"You joke merrily on the subject; but it is no laughing matter to those
who have been robbed and nearly murdered," said the Greek merchant. "I
only wish I could get the villains in my power, I would hang them all
without mercy, as high as Haman."

"I dare say you do," said the stranger, smiling. "Such is but a natural
impulse. Yet, as I have not suffered, I cannot enter quite so warmly
into your feelings. However, I am grateful to you for your account; and
I shall take very good care to keep out of the way of your friend Zappa.
May I ask, by the way, the appearance and name of the vessel commanded
by this renowned cut-throat?"

"Certainly," said the merchant, "though, as I said, it was nearly dark
when he boarded us; but I should describe her as a rakish polacca brig,
of about two hundred and fifty tons burden; and from what we learnt
afterwards, we discovered that she must be the celebrated _Sea Hawk_.
It is said that she is so fleet that nothing could ever catch her, and
that she comes up with everything she chases; so that, my friend, you
may not avoid her quite so easily as you may wish."

"It is something to know what she is like; and, if we cannot run from
her, we must fight her," returned the stranger. "However, before we
part, let me assure you that I shall be most happy to be of any service
to you in my power. When do you again sail from hence?"

"In a few days our mis