d in less than an hour everything
that the lazarette had contained was safely transferred to the brig, and
stowed away.

While this operation was in progress, O'Gorman made a tour of the
various cabins, compelling the unfortunate passengers to turn out their
trunks before him, and appropriating the whole of their cash, jewellery,
weapons, and ammunition, together with as much of their clothing as
happened to take his fancy. As he executed his self-imposed task with
considerable deliberation, those passengers whose turn was still to come
had plenty of time to meditate upon their coming despoilment, and one of
them--the individual who had so kindly relieved me of my letter--took it
into his head to do me a good turn. Withdrawing quietly to his cabin,
he presently reappeared with a mahogany case, to which he
unostentatiously directed my attention, immediately afterwards laying it
carelessly down in a dark corner of the cabin.

Then he came and stood close beside me, and murmured in my ear:

"A brace of duelling-pistols, with a full supply of ammunition,
monsieur. Since apparently they _must_ go, I would rather that they
should fall into monsieur's hands, if possible. He may perhaps find
them useful some time in the future."

"A thousand thanks, monsieur," returned I, in a whisper. "Should we
ever meet again I will endeavour to repay your kindness with interest."

Then, watching my opportunity, I possessed myself of the case of
pistols, made my way on deck with them, and--thanks to the bustle of
trans-shipping the stores--managed to slip on board the brig with it and
convey it, undetected, to my own cabin. Having done which, I spoke a
reassuring word or two to Miss Onslow--who had retired to her own
cabin--lighted a pipe, and sauntered up on deck again with the most
careless demeanour imaginable.

It was long past midnight by the time that O'Gorman had finished rifling
the barque, by which time he had secured all the provisions out of the
unfortunate craft's lazarette, had taken four brass nine-pounder guns,
two dozen stand of muskets, the same number of cutlasses and boarding
pikes, together with a considerable quantity of ammunition, had emptied
one of the barque's water-tanks, and had robbed them, in addition, of
their two best boats--fine twenty-seven feet gigs--with their whole
equipment. Then, the weather still being stark calm, he compelled the
Frenchmen to hoist out their remaining two boats and to tow