telligence, and then he gasped for rum. Dickory
was quickly beside him with a tumbler of spirits and water, which,
raising the fallen man's head, he gave him. In a few moments the eyes of
Captain Vince opened wider, and he stared at the young man in naval
uniform who stood above him. "Who are you?" he said in a low voice, but
distinct, "an English officer?"

"No," said Dickory, "I am no officer and no pirate; I am forced to wear
these clothes."

And then, his natural and selfish instincts pushing themselves before
anything else, Dickory went on: "Oh, sir, if your men conquer these
pirates will you take me--" but as he spoke he saw that the wounded man
was not listening to him; his half-closed eyes turned towards him and he
whispered:

"More spirits!"

[Illustration: "Take that," he feebly said, "and swear that it shall be
delivered."]

Dickory dashed into the cabin, half-filled a tumbler with rum and gave
it to Vince. Presently his eyes recovered something of their natural
glow, and with contracted brow he fixed them upon the stream of blood
which was running from him over the deck.

Suddenly he spoke sharply: "Young fellow," he said, "some paper and a
pen, a pencil, anything. Quick!"

Dickory looked at him in amazement for a moment and then he ran into the
cabin, soon returning with a sheet of paper and an English pencil.

The eyes of Captain Vince were now very bright, and a nervous strength
came into his body. He raised himself upon his elbow, he clutched at the
paper, and clapping it upon the deck began to write. Quickly his pencil
moved; already he was feeling that his rum-given strength was leaving
him, but several pages he wrote, and then he signed his name. Folding
the sheet he stopped for a moment, feeling that he could do no more;
but, gathering together his strength in one convulsive motion, he
addressed the letter.

"Take that," he feebly said, "and swear ... that it shall be ...
delivered."

"I swear," said Dickory, as on his knees he took the blood-smeared
letter. He hastily slipped it into the breast of his coat, and then he
was barely able to move quick enough to keep the Englishman's head from
striking the deck.

"How now!" sounded a harsh growl at his ear. "Get you into your cabin
or you will be hurt. It is not time yet for the fleecing of corpses! I
am choking for a glass of brandy. Get in and stay there!"

In another minute Blackbeard, refreshed, was running aft, the cut
through his