ck from the halter?"

"That which will save your own, most likely," replied the boy, "and
tit-for-tat's all fair."

"Well, let's hear it then," replied I.

"No, not unless you promise. I can swing, if need be, as well as
father, but I'd rather not, 'cause I know where all his money is
hidden."

"I can't make any promise," replied I.

"Then I can't tell," replied he, "so I may e'en go on deck and tell
father that I cannot manage it;" and as he said the latter part of this
speech, the undaunted little villain actually laughed at the idea of
gammoning his father, as he termed it.

Train up a child in the way he should go, and he will not depart from
it, is mostly true; but it is more certain that if you train a child up
in the way that he should not go, he will be a more true disciple.
Could there be a more decided proof of the above than the behaviour of
this young villain? But his father had made him so, and thus was he
rewarded.

"Stop," said I, for I had reflected whether, after all, there were any
grounds for hanging the boy, and come to a conclusion that a jury would
have probably acquitted him. "Stop," said I; "you say that what you can
tell is of the greatest consequence."

"And becomes of more consequence every minute that passes," replied he.
"I will tell you everything, and let you into father's secrets. I peach
upon father altogether."

"Well, then," replied I, "if what you have to disclose proves important,
I will do all I can to save your life, and I have no doubt that I shall
be able so to do."

"No more have I," replied he, "or I would not have come to you. Now
then, father came to the back of the island to do a little business with
a pirate schooner, as he said just now; and he has very often done it
before, as he said just now; but father did not tell you all. When we
were in Port Royal, father went to the captain of a king's vessel who is
there, having been sent to put down the pirates if possible, and he
offered this captain of the king's ship, for a certain sum, to put our
friends that we exchange with into his hands."

"What, betray his friend the pirate?"

"Yes, father agreed that he would come round as he has done this day,
and would contrive to chaffer and bargain with him and keep him so late
in the bay that the king's ship should come upon him all of a sudden and
take him, and this was father's intention, only you have pinned him.
The king's ship will be round that point in