s. It would be perfectly
right in you to try to escape."

"Ah, Henry! your feelings have warped your judgment," said Gascoyne,
shaking his head. "It is strange how men will prevaricate and deceive
themselves when they want to reason themselves into a wrong course or
out of a right one. But what you or Mr. Mason think or will do has
nothing to do with my course of action."

"But the law holds, if I mistake not, that a man is not bound to
criminate himself," said Henry.

"I know not and care not what the law of man holds," replied the other
sadly. "I have forfeited my life to my country, and I am willing to lay
it down."

"Nay, not your life," said Henry; "you have done no murder."

"Well, then, at least my liberty is forfeited. I shall leave it to those
who judge me whether my life shall be taken or no. I sometimes wish that
I could get away to some distant part of the world, and there, by living
the life of an honest man, try to undo, if possible, a little of what I
have done. But, woe's me, wishes and regrets come too late. No; I must
be content to reap what I have sown."

"They will be certain to hang you," said the youth, bitterly.

"I think it likely they will," replied his companion.

"And would you call that justice?" asked Henry, sharply. "Whatever
punishment you may deserve, you do not deserve to die. You know well
enough that your word will go for nothing, and no one else can bear
witness in your favor. You will be regarded simply as a notorious
pirate. Even if some of the people whose lives you have spared while
taking their goods should turn up, their testimony could not prove that
you had not murdered others; so your fate is certain if you go to trial.
Have you any right, then, to compass your own death by thus giving
yourself up?"

"Ah, boy, your logic is not sound."

"But answer my question," said the youth, testily.

"Henry, plead with me no longer," said Gascoyne, in a deep, stern tone.
"My mind is made up. I have spent many years in dishonesty and
self-deception. It is perhaps possible that by a life devoted to doing
good I might in the long run benefit men more than I have damaged them.
This is just possible, I say, though I doubt it; but I have _promised_
to give myself up whenever this cruise is at an end, and I won't break
the last promise I am likely to give in this world; so do not attempt to
turn me, boy."

Henry made no reply, but his knitted brows and compressed lips showed
that