ceived the full benefit of the raking fire
from the flag-ship, and presented a scene of lamentable destruction.

Instead of the two windows leading out on to the gallery there was now
an enormous gaping hole, the lower edge of which was within a
hand's-breadth of the water, which occasionally rippled in as the
schooner rose and fell upon the swell. The rich hangings of silk and
tapestry were pierced and rent; long gashes had been gouged out of the
floor by the round-shot; fragments of silver and gold statues and
candlesticks lay here and there scattered in confusion, and it was
evident that had a single living thing been in that cabin at the moment
when the broadside was delivered it could not possibly have escaped.
Yet, strangely enough, there were three splendid pictures hanging still
upon the cabin-walls absolutely uninjured, and these Cavendish gave
orders to be at once removed and sent on board his ship.

In a magnificently inlaid and ornamented bureau there were found all the
private papers belonging to Jose, together with the ship's log, both of
which provided, later, the most gruesome reading.

Of valuables there were none to be found in the drawers, or hidden away,
and Roger mentally decided that the man, for his own safety, had never
allowed valuables to accumulate on board the _Black Pearl_, but had
always transferred them, at the first opportunity that presented itself,
to his hiding-place at Lonely Inlet. But he kept his surmise to himself
and Harry.

The vessel's hold, which was next investigated, contained nothing of any
importance or value, and, in fact, the whole vessel yielded but small
return for their careful search.

The officers now returned to the deck, to find that it was once more
broad daylight; and each went back to his own vessel for breakfast.
Roger, having said good-bye to the captain and officers of the
_Elizabeth_, and thanked them for their kindness in taking him off the
island and afterwards, pushed off to the flag-ship with Mr Cavendish
and Harry. Jake Irwin and Walter Bevan, poor fellows, would rejoin
their shipmates no more. They had both fallen, fighting bravely, and
were now lying fathoms deep in the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea.
Little did they imagine, when they left the Isla de Corsarios the day
before, that death was so close to them!

After breakfast Cavendish called a council of officers in his own cabin,
to discuss the fate of the surviving pirates and their sc