" says he, "that you, a sick man, have gone and
travelled ten leagues all for to give yourself up to such a gang of
bloody cutthroats as we be?"

"Why, yes," says I; "sure ten leagues is not such a long journey that
one need make much of a stir about it."

"Ten leagues be blowed!" says he. "Suppose they had shot you dead when
they had found out who you were; what then?"

"But they did not shoot me," said I.

"But perhaps they may kill you yet," put in England.

"That matter is neither in your hands nor mine," said I.

Ward looked in a very droll manner, first at England and then at me.
"Well, I'm blowed!" he said at last.

At this Captain England burst into a great loud laugh. "Why," says he,
"it would be a vast pity to let a man of such spirit lose his life after
all. What d'ye say, Ward?"

"I say yes," said Ward, and he thumped his fist down on the table; "and
by the Eternal he shall get what he wants--in reason--Tom Burke and the
devil notwithstanding!"

"Come," says England; "come, Ward, we'll go and fetch Burke in, and see
if we can't drink him into a good humor." And so saying both men went
out of the cabin, shutting the door behind them. As soon as their backs
were turned I sprang to where the despatch-box lay, snatched it up, and
began eagerly examining it. It was still securely locked; the lid had
not been forced, and I could see no marks of violence upon it. But I had
just then but short time for such an examination, for in a little while
I heard footsteps outside, whereupon I replaced the box where I had
found it and resumed my chair, composing my countenance as far as I was
able to do. Presently I heard voices at the door, and from their tones I
could gather that Captain England and the crippled cook were trying to
persuade Burke to come into the cabin, he being mightily unwilling to
do so. For a while they held the door ajar, and I could hear Burke
cursing and swearing at a great rate, and calling Heaven to witness that
he would have my life before he was done with me. Meantime the others
were busied in talking to him, and soothing him, and reasoning with him,
but all to no purpose. No; he would come in and drink a glass of grog
with them, if that was what they were after, but he would have my
life--yes, he would; and he was not to be wheedled out of his purpose by
soft words either. So they, after a while, all came into the cabin and
sat down to the table, though Burke never so much as turned his