pass over him
as he thought of Zillah falling into the hands of any set of villains
of which this man was one.

On entering the room Black Bill was informed that Obed was largely
interested in the affair which he had made known, and was bidden to
tell his story once more. Thereupon Black Bill took a long and very
comprehensive stare at Obed from head to foot, after which he went on
to narrate his story.

He had been engaged in the month of June, he said, by a man who gave
his name as Richards. He understood that he was to take part in an
enterprise which was illegal, but attended with no risk whatever. It
was simply to assist in sinking a vessel at sea. Black Bill remarked,
with much naivete, that he always was scrupulous in obeying the laws;
but just at that time he was out of tin, and yielded to the
temptation. He thought it was a case where the vessel was to be sunk
for the sake of the insurance. Such things were very common, and
friends of his had assisted before in similar enterprises. The price
offered for his services was not large--only fifty pounds--and this
also made him think it was only some common case.

He found that three other men had also been engaged. They were
ordered to go to Marseilles, and wait till they were wanted. Money
was given them for the journey, and a certain house was mentioned as
the place where they should stay.

They did not have long to wait. In a short time the man who had
employed them called on them, and took them down to the harbor, where
they found a very handsome yacht. In about an hour afterward he
returned, accompanied this time by a young and beautiful lady. Black
Bill and all the men were very much struck by her appearance. They
saw very well that she belonged to the upper classes. They saw also
that their employer treated her with the deepest respect, and seemed
almost like her servant. They heard her once call him "_Mr.
Gualtier_," and knew by this that the name "Richards" was an assumed
one. They all wondered greatly at her appearance, and could not
understand what was to be her part in the adventure. Judging from
what they heard of the few words she addressed to this Gualtier, they
saw that she was expecting to sail to Naples, and was very eager to
arrive there.

At last the second night came. Gualtier summoned Black Bill at
midnight, and they both went into the hold, where they bored holes.
The other men had meanwhile got the boat in readiness, and had put
some