d Zeppa again, still keeping his eyes fixed on Rosco's face.

"Don't look at me that way," pleaded the pirate, "as if I had done the
deed. You know I didn't. I swear I didn't! If I had been there, I
would have saved Orlando at the cost of--"

He was interrupted at this point by the repetition of the cry which had
before reached him in the cabin; but how much more awful did that
despairing cry sound near at hand, as it issued full, deep-toned, and
strong, from the chest of the Herculean man! There was a difference in
it also this time--it terminated in a wild, fiendish fit of laughter,
which caused Rosco to shrink back appalled; for now he knew that he
confronted a maniac!

For some minutes the madman and the pirate sat gazing at each other in
silent horror. Then the latter rose hastily and turned to leave the
hold. As he did so, the madman sprang towards him, but he was checked
by the chains which bound him, and fell heavily on the deck.

Returning to the cabin, Rosco went to a locker and took out a case
bottle, from which he poured half a tumbler of brandy and drank it.
Then he summoned the man who had been appointed his second in command.

"Redford," he said, assuming, by a mighty effort of self-restraint a
calm tone and manner, "you told me once of a solitary island lying a
long way to the south of the Fiji group. D'you think you could lay our
course for it?"

"I'm sure I could, sir; but it is very much out of the way of commerce,
and--"

"There is much sandal-wood on it, is there not?" asked Rosco,
interrupting him.

"Ay, sir, plenty of that, an' plenty of fierce natives too, who will
give us a warm reception. I would--"

"So much the better," returned the captain, with a cynical smile, again
interrupting; "we may be able to obtain a load of valuable wood for
nothing, and get rid of our cowards at the same time. Go, lay our
course for--what's the island's name?"

"I don't know its right name, sir; but we call it Sugar-loaf Island from
the shape of one end of it."

"That will do. And hark ye, friend, when I give orders or ask questions
in future, don't venture to offer advice or raise objections. Let the
crew understand that we must be able to pass for lawful traders, and
that a load of sandal-wood will answer our purpose well enough. It will
be your wisdom, also, to bear in mind that discipline is as useful on
board a Free Rover as on board a man-of-war, and that there is only one
way to ma