o go elsewhere.
Why, my dear children, just think it over a moment."

"We have already thought of it," they answered defiantly.

"Very well," said Barthelemy, suddenly throwing back his cloak, and the
next instant he had sent a bullet through the heads of both.

For a moment the others stood petrified with horror, then they turned
furiously upon Barthelemy, their eyes and knives flashing around him.

"What! You dare to oppose, when I command! Away with you, worthless
rascals!" thundered their young leader in a voice which rose above the
fray, and seizing a piece of stout rope he rushed among them, dealing
blows right and left at the mutineers, who were so amazed by his daring
that, forgetting their rage, they scattered.

"Put them all in irons. Keep them in confinement on bread and water for
three days! If any one utters a word against me, throw him into the
sea," shouted Barthelemy, and in a moment the Fortuna's crew were
disarmed by the Commodore's men.

"You are taking a great risk," Glasby whispered to Barthelemy.

"Oh, I fear neither man nor devil," replied the pirate defiantly.

The ships sailed for Africa that very day. The time of punishment of the
Fortuna's crew expired on the third, and Barthelemy, to prevent any
attempt at flight, removed all the nautical instruments and all the men
who had any knowledge of navigation to the Commodore.

Nevertheless the Fortuna vanished one night when they were still four
hundred miles from the African coast.

As Barthelemy predicted the ship ran on a sandbank in the first storm
which overtook her, and her crew all perished.

But the leader did not give up his plan; though his strength was
diminished, his courage was unchanged.

One morning at dawn he saw a mountain peak on the horizon--it was Cape
Corso. "We have reached our destination," said Barthelemy to the
exulting pirates, and began to cruise up and down before the harbor.

* * * * *

At that time the French government had a monopoly of the india-rubber
trade and, as the most venomous antidote of monopoly is smuggling, the
coasts of Cayenne were constantly watched by French men-of-war.

Two of them instantly noticed the suspicious craft and, believing it to
be a smuggler, gave chase. Barthelemy lured them too far from the shore
for the battle to be seen, then, after a short conflict, conquered both,
sank one and, keeping the other, manned it with part of his crew under
th