he sat surrounded
by empty wine bottles, "drain the cup of joy and dash it against the
wall."

Just at that moment a messenger entered, bringing dispatches for the
governor.

The pirates gave him no chance to speak. "Don't wake him, don't you see
how sweetly he is sleeping? You would better drink."

The herald was soon completely intoxicated and, seeing the governor's
wife whispering tenderly to Barthelemy, in the bewilderment of a
drunkard's ideas he carried the despatch to him.

The latter was about to throw it down when, glancing at the address,
his eye caught the name "Hispaniola."

The young leader's face suddenly darkened; he tore open the despatch and
with blanched face, read the following lines.

_Sir_: The slaves in San Domingo rebelled a few days
ago, attacked the cotton plantations along the whole
coast, burned and destroyed them, and pitilessly
murdered the planters, sparing neither man, woman, nor
child. There is not a single dwelling left standing on
the northern coast of Hispaniola.

Drops of cold perspiration stood on Barthelemy's brow, his eyes stared
fixedly into vacancy, his fingers clenched the paper convulsively; then,
starting up, he flung the Creole aside and dealt the table such a blow
with his clenched fist that the pirates, to a man, instantly became
silent and stared at him in wonder.

"The carouse is over!" thundered their leader in a terrible voice.
"Hence to the ship, drop toying, and seize your weapons."

The buccaneers could not yet recover from their bewilderment. The Creole
beauty, with sparkling eyes, pressed nearer to Barthelemy and raised his
hand to her glowing lips.

Barthelemy's eyes sought Moody. The old pirate had drunk heavily, but
was perfectly sober.

"You told me to drain the cup of joy to the dregs and then shatter it,"
cried the young chief. "I will shatter it ere my lips have touched it."

Even while speaking, he wrenched his hand from the Creole's clasp, and
drawing his sword, cried:

"Forward to the coast of Hispaniola."

Carried away by their leader's passion, the buccaneers joined in a
terrible cheer, and throwing down their glasses, pressed after him with
drunken enthusiasm from the joys of the banquet to wrestle with the fury
of the tempests.

* * * * *

The ship reached the shore of Hispaniola. Barthelemy promised his men
the treasures of a whole people, reserving for himself only t