which had sufficed to
kindle theirs, was extinct. Now he could influence them only by his
coldness.

"Pirates," he went on, folding his arms, "I promised you treasures, you
promised me blood. Let us both keep our word. Our work here is beggarly.
To plunder the ships of peaceful merchants, who surrender their goods
without defence! And of what use are they? We merely give them away. I
will take you to the home of treasures, the coasts of Africa, where
ships laden with gold-dust plough the sea, where the negro kings sleep
on golden sand and the negro warriors fight with golden weapons. We will
plunder _these_ ships, dig the golden sand from under the sleeping
kings, and bury them in it, wrench the precious weapons from the
negroes' hands and give them cheaper ones of iron in their hearts."

This pleased the pirates who made up the Commodore's crew, and they
responded with murmurs of approval, but the Fortuna's men remained
silent, with sullen, defiant faces.

Barthelemy noted the different effect he had produced, and wrapping
himself deliberately in his ample cloak, whose folds concealed his
hands, he added: "Perhaps there is some one who does not approve this
plan, let him state what he has against it. He can speak freely, I will
listen."

The crew of the Fortuna began to gather into groups and whisper
together; at last two men came forward, hitching their trousers, and
stood with resolute faces before the captain.

"Yes, we don't approve of your plan, captain," said one, and the other
nodded assent, while their comrades murmured approval.

"You don't approve of it, my children?" asked Barthelemy in his sweetest
tones, "and why?"

"Because we are not tired of having things go well with us and finding
booty everywhere without danger," said one.

"Because we don't want to seek unknown risks in unknown gold regions,"
added the other.

"Where there are laws against us."

"And where royal men-of-war protect commerce."

"We don't care for fame, but prizes."

"And we would rather stay here, where people fear us, than go where we
must fear others."

"If you want blood, we can shed as much here for you as you desire."

"But we won't go a thousand miles and seek danger merely to avenge you
on the negroes who killed your sweetheart."

Robert Barthelemy's face blanched to a ghastly pallor.

"You wish to stay here, my dear children," he replied in a tone of
childlike blandness. "You like it here, and are afraid t