night I shall write a few letters that
will clear up every trouble back home, and allow us to continue our
journey to the Spanish Main."

"Oh, will you?" cried Jimmy, much relieved. "That'll be a good scout,"
he added.

Suddenly I found myself smiling at him, I who had smiled so rarely
these years, whether in the Selkirks or the Himalayas, in Uganda or
here in my own little wilderness--because Helena had left me so sad.

"But if I promise, you, also, must promise in turn."

Used as I was, already, to the astounding changes in Jimmy from boy to
buccaneer and back again, I was now interested at the fell scowl which
he summoned to his features, as soon as he felt relieved as to the
domestic situation. "Speak, fellow!" he demanded; and folding his
arms, presented so threatening a front that I saw my man Hiroshimi
covertly lay hold upon a carving knife.

"Why, then, my hearties," said I, "'tis thus. I'll sign on as
sea-lawyer and scrivener, as well as purser for the ship. Yes, I'll
sign articles and voyage with you for a week or a month, or two
months, or three. I'll provender the ship and pay all bills of libel
or demurrage in any port of call; and by my fateful gift of second
sight, which ye have seen well proven here to-night, not only will I
see ye safe for what ye already have done, but will keep ye safe
against any enemy we may meet, be he whom he may!"

"'Tis well," said L'Olonnois. "Say on!"

"And in return I ask a boon."

"Name it, fellow!"

"Already I have named it--that I, too, shall be accepted as one of the
brotherhood. Oh, listen"--I broke out impulsively--"I have never been
a pirate, and I have never been a boy. I have had everything in the
world I wanted and it made me awfully lonesome, because when you have
everything you have nothing. I have nothing to do but eat and sleep,
and hunt and fish, and read and write, and study and think, and play
my music, here. I do not want to do these things any more. Especially
I do not want to think. Boys do not think, and I want to be a boy. I
want to be a pirate with you. I want to seek my fortune with you."

We sat silent, almost solemn for a moment, so sincere was my speech
and so startling to them. But thanks to L'Olonnois and his saving
book, illusion came to us once more in time.

"Will ye be good brother and true pirate?" demanded L'Olonnois. "And
will ye take the oath of blood?"

"That I will!" said I.

"Brothers and good shipmates all"--broke in J