all that? Do you mean, Haines, that this is the same damned
scamp who tried to stick me?"

"No doubt of it. But he never knew what he was dloin'--he wus crazy as
a loon. There's nuthin' fer yer ter fuss over now. Tell us about it,
Gates--the bath must have sobered yer up?"

I watched LeVere, but he remained motionless, a mere shadow.

"I suppose it must have been thet, sir," I confessed respectfully, "if
things happened as you say they did. I haven't any memory o' tryin'
ter slash nobody. Leastwise I seemed ter know whut I wus about when I
cum up. I don't remember how I got ther; furst I knew I wus slushin'
'round in the water, a tryin' ter keep afloat. It wus so blame dark I
cudn't see nuthin', but sumhow I got grip on a hawser, an' hung on
till I got back 'nough strength ter clime on board. I knew this wa'n't
my ship, so I just lay quiet awhile, figurin' out whar I wus."

"Yer English?" "Born in Bristol, sir, but I wus workin' on the
_Caroline_--she's a Colony schooner, in the fish trade."

"Sailor?"

"At sea since I wus twelve. What's this yere bark--Dutch, ain't she?"

"Once upon a time; just now we are flying whatever flag cumes handy.
We ain't got no prejudice in flags."

"Is thet a gun forrard, covered with taupalin?"

"Yes, an' yer might find another aft, if yer looked fer it. Mor'n
thet, we know how ter use 'em. Now see here, Gates; thar's no reason
why we should beat about the bush--fact is we're sea rovers."

"Sea rovers--pirates, sir?"

"Bah! what's a name! We take what we want; it's our trade, that's all.
No worse than many another. The question is, are yer goin' ter take a
chance 'long with us? It's the only life, lad--plenty of fun, the best
of liquor and pretty girls, with a share in all the swag."

"What is the name of this bark?"

"The _Namur_--sailed out o' Rotterdam till we took her."

"Whut wus yer in when ye took her?"

"The _Vengeance_, a three-masted schooner, the fastest thing afloat.
She's south in West India waters."

"Who's the captain?"

"Silva Sanchez."

"Gawd! Sanchez--not--not 'Black Sanchez?'"

"That's him; so yer've heerd o' 'Black Sanchez?' Well, we're sailin'
'long with him, all right, mate, an' yer ought ter know whut thet
means fer a good man."

I hesitated, yet only long enough to leave the impression I sought to
make on them both.

"Likely thar ain't no sailor but whut has heerd o' him," I said
slowly. "Enyhow, I sure have. I can't say thet I have any s