"No, that you shan't, my pretty damsel," cried our friend Jack,
forgetting all the stern selfishness in which he had been indulging
himself,--"not while I've got an arm to fight for you."

Just as he was speaking, a dozen of the brigand's followers had appeared
at the back of the stage.

"Hurrah, lads! Boarders! repel boarders!" he exclaimed, starting up.
"On, lads, and we'll soon put this big blackguard and his crew to
flight."

Suiting the action to the word, he sprang over the footlights, followed
by the seamen in the pit. The lady shrieked at the top of her voice,
not at all relishing the interruption to her performance, and far more
afraid of the uproarious seamen than of the robber from whom she had
just before been entreating protection. Bestowing a hearty box on
Jack's ear, she freed herself from his arms, and rushed off the stage,
while the brigand and his companions, turning tail, made their escape.

"Blow me if ever I try to rescue a young woman in distress again, if
that's the way I'm to be treated," cried Jack. "Shiver my timbers, if
she hasn't got hold of that vagabond. There they are, the whole lot of
them, carrying her off. No, it's impossible that she can be wanting to
go with such a set of villains. On, lads! on! and we'll soon drive them
overboard, and just bring her back to learn what she really wants."

Saying this, Jack, followed by a score of seamen, rushing up the stage,
disappeared behind the side scenes. We heard a tremendous row going on
of mingled cries and shouts and shrieks. Presently the seamen returned,
dragging with them the perfidious heroine, and well-nigh a dozen of the
brigands whom they had captured. In vain the latter protested that they
were not really brigands, but simply scene-shifters and labourers, who
had been hired to represent those formidable characters. The lady also
asserted that she was the lawful wife of the robber chief, and the
mother of six children, and that she didn't stand in the slightest fear
of him, but that he was the kindest and most indulgent of husbands.

At length the manager came on the stage, leading forward the murdered
youth and the brigand himself, who now, having laid aside his beard and
wig, looked a very harmless individual. The manager, politely
addressing the seamen, requested them to return to their seats and allow
the performance to continue. After some persuasion they complied, but
the illusion was gone, and by the loud