and low
vitality, came straight to business.

"I am here to tell you, Don Pedro, that if you will hold your hand for
three days, I will undertake to raise the ransom you demand, which Don
Miguel de Espinosa refuses."

Captain Blood confronted him, a frown contracting the dark brows above
his light eyes:

"And where will you be raising it?" quoth he, faintly betraying his
surprise.

Don Francisco shook his head. "That must remain my affair," he answered.
"I know where it is to be found, and my compatriots must contribute.
Give me leave for three days on parole, and I will see you fully
satisfied. Meanwhile my son remains in your hands as a hostage for my
return." And upon that he fell to pleading. But in this he was crisply
interrupted.

"By the Saints! Ye're a bold man, Don Francisco, to come to me with such
a tale--to tell me that ye know where the ransom's to be raised, and yet
to refuse to say. D'ye think now that with a match between your fingers
ye'd grow more communicative?"

If Don Francisco grew a shade paler, yet again he shook his head.

"That was the way of Morgan and L'Ollonais and other pirates. But it is
not the way of Captain Blood. If I had doubted that I should not have
disclosed so much."

The Captain laughed. "You old rogue," said he. "Ye play upon my vanity,
do you?"

"Upon your honour, Captain."

"The honour of a pirate? Ye're surely crazed!"

"The honour of Captain Blood," Don Francisco insisted. "You have the
repute of making war like a gentleman."

Captain Blood laughed again, on a bitter, sneering note that made Don
Francisco fear the worst. He was not to guess that it was himself the
Captain mocked.

"That's merely because it's more remunerative in the end. And that
is why you are accorded the three days you ask for. So about it, Don
Francisco. You shall have what mules you need. I'll see to it."

Away went Don Francisco on his errand, leaving Captain Blood to reflect,
between bitterness and satisfaction, that a reputation for as much
chivalry as is consistent with piracy is not without its uses.

Punctually on the third day the Deputy-Governor was back in Maracaybo
with his mules laden with plate and money to the value demanded and a
herd of a hundred head of cattle driven in by negro slaves.

These bullocks were handed over to those of the company who ordinarily
were boucan-hunters, and therefore skilled in the curing of meats, and
for best part of a week thereafter the