`marquis,'
answered the little Englishman's question as I, too, had feared!

"`Oh! my friend,' he called out, as I covered him with my revolver from
my rampart behind the poop-rail on the top of the ladder, where a roll
of tarpaulin served us for shelter. `Don't be too handy with your
pistol. We have got firearms too, now. Stop a minute. I have got
something to say to you.'

"`You had better make haste with your speech, then,' said I. `My finger
is itching to pull the trigger, and you know, to your cost, I'm a dead
shot!'

"`You will not do much good by killing me,' he retorted with that
mocking hyena laugh of his, which always exasperated me so much. `I
want to tell you that we know you have got three more men with you now
than you had yesterday, for we searched the hold this morning and found
the nest empty and the birds flown. But recollect, my friend, we can
get to you aft through the cargo, in the same way as those white-livered
wretches have done!'

"`Bah! I'm not afraid of your threats, you black devil,' I replied,
although my heart went down to my boots at the thought of my darling
child being caught unawares and being left to the mercy of such demons.
`We have scuttled the after part of the ship, and at the least noise
being heard in the hold we will let in the water and drown you all like
rats in a hole, and see how you like that!'

"This idea, which occurred to me on the spur of the instant, evidently
impressed the scoundrel, for I could see a change come over his ugly
face.

"`Let us make a compromise,' he suggested after a pause, during which he
whispered to his companion, the giant negro, both keeping much behind
the mainmast. `You can take that boat you have there at the stern, the
lot of you, if you like, and leave us the ship.'

"`My word, that's a very good proposal, marquis,' said Captain Alphonse,
coming to my side. `You won't interfere with us, I suppose, if we go
away and give you absolute power to do what you please with the _Saint
Pierre_, eh?'

"`Assuredly not, my friend; we promise that,' eagerly replied the
scoundrel, deceived by the manner of my poor friend. `You can take
anything you like of your personal effects too; you and the other
whites.'

"`Ah, but my friend, you are too good!' said Captain Alphonse, firing
quickly as he spoke at the `marquis,' who had incautiously exposed
himself, thinking we had been gulled by his proposal and were ready to
fall into the trap