ith those men of iniquity, my
individual voice cast for peace would not be sufficient to keep my crew
from meeting violence with violence. As for myself, thee knows who I am
and what is my testimony in these matters."

Mainwaring made no comment as to the extremely questionable manner in
which the Quaker proposed to beat the devil about the stump. Presently
he asked his second question:

"And might I inquire," he said, "what you are doing here and why you
find it necessary to come at all into such a wicked, dangerous place as
this?"

"Indeed, I knew thee would ask that question of me," said the Friend,
"and I will be entirely frank with thee. These men of blood are, after
all, but human beings, and as human beings they need food. I have at
present upon this vessel upward of two hundred and fifty barrels of
flour which will bring a higher price here than anywhere else in the
West Indies. To be entirely frank with thee, I will tell thee that I
was engaged in making a bargain for the sale of the greater part of my
merchandise when the news of thy approach drove away my best customer."

Mainwaring sat for a while in smoking silence. What the other had told
him explained many things he had not before understood. It explained why
Captain Cooper got almost as much for his flour and corn meal now that
peace had been declared as he had obtained when the war and the blockade
were in full swing. It explained why he had been so strong a defender
of Captain Scarfield and the pirates that afternoon in the garden.
Meantime, what was to be done? Eleazer confessed openly that he dealt
with the pirates. What now was his--Mainwaring's--duty in the case? Was
the cargo of the Eliza Cooper contraband and subject to confiscation?
And then another question framed itself in his mind: Who was this
customer whom his approach had driven away?

As though he had formulated the inquiry into speech the other began
directly to speak of it. "I know," he said, "that in a moment thee will
ask me who was this customer of whom I have just now spoken. I have no
desire to conceal his name from thee. It was the man who is known as
Captain Jack or Captain John Scarfield."

Mainwaring fairly started from his seat. "The devil you say!" he cried.
"And how long has it been," he asked, "since he left you?"

The Quaker skipper carefully refilled his pipe, which he had by now
smoked out. "I would judge," he said, "that it is a matter of four or
five hours sinc