bout to resume, when Mr Mason
said--"Gascoyne, do you call warfare in the cause of robbery by the name
of `fair and open fight?'"

"No, I do not. Yet there have been great generals and admirals in this
world who have committed wholesale murder in this same cause, and whose
names stand high in the roll of fame!"

A look of scorn rested on the pirate's face as he said this, but it
passed away quickly.

"You tell me that there were some of the men in the schooner whom you
kept aboard against their will?" said Mr Mason. "Did it never occur to
you, Gascoyne, that you may have been the murderer of the _souls_ of
these men?"

The pirate made no reply for some time, and the troubled anxious look
that had more than once crossed his face returned.

"Yes," said he at length, "I have thought of that. But it is done now
and cannot be undone. I can do no more now than give myself up to
justice. You see, I have thrown away my arms and stand here
defenceless. But I did not come here to plead for mercy. I come to
make to you all the reparation I can for the wrong I have done you.
When that last act is completed, you may do with me what you please. I
deserve to die, and I care not to live."

"O Gascoyne, speak not thus," exclaimed the widow, earnestly. "However
much and deeply you have sinned against man, if you have not taken life
you do not deserve to die. Besides, there is a way of pardon open to
the very chief of sinners."

"I know what you mean, Mary, I know what you mean; but--well, well, this
is neither the time nor place to talk of such things. Your little girl,
Mr Mason, is in the hands of the pirates."

"I know that," said the missionary, wincing as if he had received a deep
wound, "but she is not in _your_ power now."

"More's the pity; she would have been safer with me than with my first
mate, who is the greatest villain afloat on the high seas. He does not
like our milk-and-water style of robbing. He is an out-and-out pirate
in heart, and has long desired to cut my throat. I have to thank him
for being here to-night. Some of the crew who are like himself seized
me while I was asleep, bound and gagged me, put me into a boat and rowed
me ashore;--for we had easily escaped the _Talisman_ in the squall, and
doubling or our course came back here. The mate was anxious to clear
off old scores by cutting my throat at once and pitching me into the
sea. Luckily some of the men, not so bloodthirsty as he, ob