h in her favour, and there entrench himself; for even yet
Bissonnette amply multiplied was in his mind--Lafarge had not explained
that away. He was in the neighbourhood of some sunken rocks of which he
and his man at the wheel did not know accurately, and in making what he
thought was a clear channel he took a rock with great force, for they
were going full steam ahead. Then came confusion, and in getting out the
one boat it was swamped and a man nearly drowned. Meanwhile the tug was
fast sinking.

While they were throwing off their clothes, the Ninety-Nine came down,
and stood off. On one hand was the enemy, on the other the water, with
the shore half a mile distant.

"Do you surrender?" called out Tarboe.

"Can't we come aboard without that?" feebly urged Mr. Martin.

"I'll see you damned first, Mr. Martin. Come quick, or I'll give you
what for."

"We surrender," answered the officer gently.

A few minutes later he and his men were on board, with their rifles
stacked in a corner at Bissonnette's hand.

Then Tarboe brought the Ninety-Nine close to the wreck, and with his
little cannon put a ball into her. This was the finish. She shook her
nose, shivered, shot down like a duck, and was gone.

Mr. Martin was sad even to tears.

"Now, my beauties," said Tarboe, "now that I've got you safe, I'll show
you the kind of cargo I've got." A moment afterwards he hoisted a keg on
deck. "Think that's whisky?" he asked. "Lift it, Mr. Martin." Mr. Martin
obeyed. "Shake it," he added.

Mr. Martin did so. "Open it, Mr. Martin." He held out a hatchet-hammer.
The next moment a mass of gold pieces yellowed to their eyes. Mr. Martin
fell back, breathing hard.

"Is that contraband, Mr. Martin?"

"Treasure-trove," humbly answered the stricken officer.

"That's it, and in a month, Mr. Martin, I'll be asking the chief of your
department to dinner."

Meanwhile Lafarge saw how near he had been to losing a wife and a
fortune. Arrived off Isle of Day; Tarboe told Mr. Martin and his men
that if they said "treasure-trove" till they left the island their live
would not be worth "a tinker's damn." When they had sworn, he took them
to Angel Point, fed then royally, gave them excellent liquor to drink,
and sent them in a fishing-smack with Bissonnette to Quebec where,
arriving, they told strange tales.

Bissonnette bore a letter to a certain banker in Quebec, who already had
done business with Tarboe, and next midnight Tarboe himself