hawser
was dragged through the surf and made fast high up on the sturdy palm
tree. On it they rigged a traveler and the chair, and then the
frightened nuns were brought forward from the cabin.

The women were sick with apprehension. They knew, of course, that the
ship had struck, and they had been expecting instant death. Their
prayers had been rudely interrupted by Morgan's messenger, and when they
came out on deck in that stern tempest, amid that body of wild, ruthless
men, their hearts sank within them. At the sight of those human fiends
they would fain have welcomed that watery grave from which they had just
been imploring God to save them. When they discovered that their only
means of safety lay in making that perilous passage through the waters
which overwhelmed the bight of rope in which hung the boatswain's chair,
they counted themselves as dead. Indeed, they would have refused to go
had it not been for the calm and heroic resolution of the abbess, their
leader, Sister Maria Christina, who strove to assuage their fears.

"Hornigold," said Morgan, "are you still faithful to me in this crisis?"

"I shall obey you in all things--now," answered the boatswain.

"Swear it."

"By the old buccaneer faith," said the One-Eyed, again adding the
significant adverb, "now."

For a wonder, the captain paid no attention to the emphasis on the word,
"now."

"Can you keep your pistols dry?"

"I can wrap them in oilskin and thrust them in my jacket."

"Go to the shore, then," said Morgan, "and receive these women. March
them away from the men to yonder clump of palms, and guard them as you
would your life. If any man approach you or them for any purpose, shoot
him dead without a word. I'll see that the others have no weapons. D'ye
understand?"

"Ay, and shall obey."

"Go!"

The boatswain swung himself into the chair and the men on the other end
of the traveler pulled him to the other shore, none the worse for his
wetting. He opened his jacket, found the weapons dry, and waved his hand
as a sign to Morgan that he was all right.

"Which of you women will go first?" asked Morgan.

He turned instinctively to the tall abbess, towering among her shrinking
sisters. She indicated first one and then another among the poor
captives, and as they refused, she turned to Morgan and, with a grave
dignity, said in Spanish, of which he was a master, that she would go
first to show the way, and then the others would be in better