ear."

"Hush! Will it bleed much?"

"Damnably!"

"Horrible!--horrible! Do you think the story about Cain and Abel is
true?"

"As God is in heaven!"

"Can't it be done without blood?"

"I'll have nothing to do with the murder. But, Mister, if so be as you
are so craven-hearted, take your small popper, and send a ball right
into his heart. It is a gentleman's death, and will make the prettiest
small hole imaginable, and bleed none to signify. But, mind ye, this
'ere murder's all your own."

At this critical moment, as I was inhaling a strong breath, in order to
invigorate my frame for instant exertion, I heard two or three voices in
the distance carolling out, in a sort of disjointed chorus--

"Many droll sights I've seen,
But I wish the wars were over."

"Now or never," said Joshua, producing and cocking his pistol. I leaped
upon my legs in an instant, and, seizing the weapon, which was a small
tool, manufactured for a gentleman's pocket, by the barrel with my left
hand, and this amiable specimen of fraternity by the right, the struggle
of an instant ensued. The muzzle of the pistol was close upon my breast
when my adversary discharged it. I felt the sharp, hard knock of the
ball upon my chest, and the percussion for the moment took away my
breath, but my hold upon the villain's throat was unrelaxed. The
gurgling of suffocation became audible to his brutal companion.

"Ods sneckens!" said the brute, "but this 'ere murdered man is
throttling my Mister in his death-throe."

Down at once came his tremendous cudgel upon my arm. I released my
grip, and again fell to the earth.

"He's a dead man," said Gowles; "run for your life! Mind, Mister, I had
neither 'art nor part in this 'ere--"

And they were almost immediately out of sight and out of hearing.

At the report of the pistol, the jolly choristers struck up prestissimo
with their feet. They were standing round me just as the retreating
feet of my assassins had ceased to resound in the stillness of the
darkness.

A voice, which I immediately knew to be that of my old adversary, the
master's mate, Pigtop, accosted me.

"Holloa, shipmate!--fallen foul of a pirate, mayhap--haven't slipped
your wind, ha' ye, messmate?"

"No; but I believe my arm's broken, and I have a pistol ball between my
ribs."

"Which way did the lubbers sheer off? Shall we clap on sail, and give
chase?"

"It is of no use. I know one of them well. They shall n