poke. "Bad as they are, they could not have been barbarous enough to
put to death a young girl and two old men like your father and Captain
O'Brien; beside which, I doubt whether the pirates would have yielded so
quickly if they had been guilty of such a crime. I think we shall find
that they were taken on board the pirate vessel, which stood on for
their stronghold, leaving the prize to follow as soon as she had
repaired damages."

Norman Foley, feeling sincere sympathy for Gerald, offered him all the
consolation in his power; but still, knowing the savage character of the
pirates, he could not help dreading what might have been the fate of
Norah and the old captains. He guessed at once that they had come out
in search of the _Ouzel Galley_, which, if she had been captured by the
pirates, could not have returned home; and now they themselves had
fallen into the power of the miscreant who had taken her. Mr Foley at
length persuaded Gerald to return with him on deck, where they found the
man whom Gerald had at first taken for O'Harrall, standing with his arms
bound behind his back, while Mr Tarwig was questioning him as to how he
came to be on board the merchantman. Several of the _Champion's_ crew
had in the mean time, it appeared, recognised him as Michael Dillon, the
man who had deserted from their ship in Port Royal harbour, just before
she sailed from thence. Gerald had no longer any doubt about the man,
and corroborated what the seamen had said.

"I will not deny that I am Michael Dillon, or that I deserted from your
ship. I suppose that I must be prepared to meet the doom of a
deserter," he answered boldly; "but you guaranteed my life, sir, till I
have been fairly tried; and as I conclude that you intend to keep your
word, I need not at present trouble myself about the matter. In the
mean time, I can give you valuable information, and render essential
service to that young gentleman I see there, Gerald Tracy, and to those
he cares for. If you will undertake to let me go free after I have
rendered the service I speak of, I will perform it faithfully. If you
refuse to promise that my life shall be spared, my lips will be sealed,
and you will find no one else to do what I can. You know me for a
determined man, and you may tear me to pieces before you get the secret
out of me."

"I do not understand you," answered Mr Tarwig. "I must know more about
your offer before I make any promise."

"I believe tha