tied, ye blasted coolie!"

At the words, expression suddenly enlivened the Jap's face and to
Martin's astonishment it was not an expression of hate but of wounded
conceit.

"No, no, I am not a coolie!" he exclaimed vehemently. "I am not of
common blood--I am a gentleman, a Japanese gentleman!"

The boatswain snorted contemptuously, and Ichi turned to Martin. "You
are with knowledge of my gentlemanness, my dear Mr. Blake! You have
seen me with proper attire, having conference with the honorable Smatt.
I am a Japanese gentleman, sir. I have from my revered ancestors the
blood of a Shogun. I am graduated from the University of Tokyo. I
have a degree from your own most honorable institution of Columbia."

"Ow ---- your ruddy eddication!" broke in the boatswain. "Ye bloody
murderer! Ye'll 'ang if you've gone to a dozen colleges! Wait till
they 'ear about this business at 'ome, or in any port ye call at!
They'll know the brig--and ye'll 'ang, every last scut o' ye!"

The Japanese gentleman recovered his composure as suddenly as he had
lost it, as the boatswain swore. He was again his suave self. Martin
cast a quick glance toward the boatswain, and a certain sly expression
that flitted across the giant's fierce features enlightened him. He
glimpsed the method in the boatswain's madness.

"Ah, my boatswain, you have a defect in your reflectiveness," Ichi
purred smoothly, in response to the boatswain's prophecy. "We do not
fear hanging; rather will events shape thusly: If the authorities of
your America learn by some unlikely favor of Fate of our barratry, they
will say, 'The brigantine _Cohasset_, commanded by the notorious
filibuster, Captain Dabney, which slipped out of San Francisco without
clearance--yes, we know that, my worthy friend--is again in trouble.
The trouble has happened in Russian waters--let the Russians attend to
it. We are satisfied if the respected Dabney never again is able to
arouse our worriness.' Is it not so the American officials would
speak, Mr. Henry?"

The boatswain swore luridly.

"And the Russians, if the affair came to their attention, would move
not at all against us," went on Ichi, smug pleasure in his voice.
"Indeed, the chartered company might even reward us for removing one of
such dangerousness as Captain Dabney from their trade reserves. And if
you suppose my Government would act, I fear you underestimate with
greatness the powerfulness of my connections in my cou