tence. She herself felt no inclination to speak of the fight, and
she asked no questions about it. It was sufficient for her to know that
the _Research_ had been captured, and that the great object of the
voyage--the recovery of Owen and Gerald--had come to nought. Weary and
sad, she could not even venture to seek for the consolation of sleep.
The lamp, which had been lighted at sundown, still hung from the beam
above their heads, shedding a subdued light over the cabin. Some time
thus passed. Occasionally the two old captains exchanged a few words in
low tones, but they could not say all they thought, for they were
unwilling to alarm Norah more than was necessary. They must act
according to the pirate's conduct. As he had spared their lives, he
might behave generously towards them and Norah, but of this they had but
slight hopes.

It flashed across Captain O'Brien's mind that he was one of the
O'Harralls, whom he had saved, when a boy, from drowning, while serving
on board a ship he had commanded, he having jumped overboard in a heavy
sea, and supported the lad till a boat came to their assistance. He had
afterwards had cause to regret having done so, when O'Harrall became
notorious for his evil deeds. "It would have been better to let him
drown, than allow him to gather the sins on his head for which he has to
answer," thought the old captain. "But no, I did what was right; for
the rest he alone is answerable. If he's the man I suspect, he may have
been prompted by the recollection of the services I rendered him to
spare my life, and it may induce him still to act decently towards us."

Though these thoughts passed through Captain O'Brien's mind, he did not
express them aloud, or tell his friend that he believed the pirate to be
any other than the outlawed ruffian, O'Harrall.

Captain Tracy was addressing a remark to him, when the cabin door
opened, and the man he had been thinking about stood before them. As he
examined the pirate's features, he was sure that he had not been
mistaken, but he thought it prudent to keep the idea to himself.

The pirate stood for a moment gazing at Norah.

"I have come to summon you on board my vessel," he said. "Your old
craft has been too much knocked about, I find, to proceed before her
damages are repaired. This can be done under the lee of the island,
where we will leave her while we return into port. I wish you to
prepare at once to accompany me. Anything you d