to the
ordinary where they had taken up their inn, the buccaneer assured his
companion that he purposed to obtain those dispatches from the Spanish
captain that very afternoon, even if he had to use force to seize them.

All this, you are to understand, was undertaken only because of the
friendship that the governor and Captain Morgan entertained for Le Sieur
Simon. And, indeed, it was wonderful how honest and how faithful were
these wicked men in their dealings with one another. For you must know
that Governor Modiford and Le Sieur Simon and the buccaneers were all of
one kidney--all taking a share in the piracies of those times, and all
holding by one another as though they were the honestest men in the
world. Hence it was they were all so determined to rescue Le Sieur Simon
from the Spaniards.

III

Having reached his ordinary after his interview with the governor,
Captain Morgan found there a number of his companions, such as usually
gathered at that place to be in attendance upon him--some, those
belonging to the Good Samaritan; others, those who hoped to obtain
benefits from him; others, those ragamuffins who gathered around him
because he was famous, and because it pleased them to be of his court
and to be called his followers. For nearly always your successful pirate
had such a little court surrounding him.

Finding a dozen or more of these rascals gathered there, Captain Morgan
informed them of his present purpose that he was going to find the
Spanish captain to demand his papers of him, and calling upon them to
accompany him.

With this following at his heels, our buccaneer started off down the
street, his lieutenant, a Cornishman named Bartholomew Davis, upon one
hand and our hero upon the other. So they paraded the streets for the
best part of an hour before they found the Spanish captain. For whether
he had got wind that Captain Morgan was searching for him, or whether,
finding himself in a place so full of his enemies, he had buried himself
in some place of hiding, it is certain that the buccaneers had traversed
pretty nearly the whole town before they discovered that he was lying
at a certain auberge kept by a Portuguese Jew. Thither they went, and
thither Captain Morgan entered with the utmost coolness and composure of
demeanor, his followers crowding noisily in at his heels.

The space within was very dark, being lighted only by the doorway and by
two large slatted windows or openings in the fr