dozen words,
for I'm frightfully busy this morning, where you have been, and what you
have done with yourself."

Thereupon I resumed my seat, and spun my yarn, not in half a dozen words
exactly, but as briefly as possible, confining myself to the statement
of just the leading facts and incidents, and reserving the details for a
more suitable occasion. But I mentioned Lotta, and ventured to ask Sir
Timothy's advice as to how I should proceed in the matter of procuring
her lodgment and so on until her trustees could be communicated with and
she could be restored to their charge.

"Oh, as to that," answered Sir Timothy, "there need be no difficulty at
all! You must dine with me at the Pen to-night, of course, so that you
can give me your yarn at full length, and you had better bring the young
lady with you. Lady Mary is the best person to decide what to do with
her."

Accordingly, that afternoon I took Lotta ashore with me, and, having
looked in upon the Todds on our way, and, needless to say, received a
most hospitable and friendly welcome, hired a ketureen and drove her up
to the Pen, where Lady Mary, having been previously prepared by her
husband, forthwith took possession of her and carried her off to her own
private room, from which she reappeared no more until dinner-time, when
to my amazement Lotta was led forth to be presented to the assembled
company, attired in a rig which Lady Mary and her maid had devised upon
the spur of the moment, and in which the senorita looked so surpassingly
lovely that the sight of her fairly took my breath away.

Sir Timothy, with that inherent kindness of heart which was one of his
most pronounced characteristics, took care that I was the hero of the
evening, making me spin my yarn in detail to him and his guests; and at
the end thereof awarding me a great deal more praise than I was in the
least entitled to. Lotta and I slept at the Pen that night, and after
all the guests had left, we four, that is to say Sir Timothy, Lady Mary,
Lotta, and I, resolved ourselves into a sort of council. It was
ultimately arranged that Lotta was to remain at the Pen as the guest of
Lady Mary and Sir Timothy until her trustees could be communicated with,
and arrangements made with them for her to return and take possession of
her home and property, and that I, meanwhile, was to resume command of
the _Francesca_, and in her proceed to the pirate rendezvous and destroy
the place utterly, making