t no one wants
women and children to do so; and it would be the act of good
Christians to relieve them, besides making as much money, in one
little short trip, as you would make in a year's work."

"That is true," the men said, "but we might be sunk by the guns,
going there; and we should certainly be hung, when we got back, if
they found out where we had been."

"Why should they find out?" Bob asked. "You would put out directly
it got dark, and row round close under the Rock, and then make out
to sea; and in the morning you would be somewhere off Marbella, but
eight or ten miles out, with your fishing nets down; and who is to
know that you have been to Gibraltar?"

The men were silent. The prospect certainly seemed a tempting one.
Bob allowed them to turn it over in their minds for a few minutes,
and then spoke again.

"Now, my men, I will speak to you frankly. It is just this business
that I am bent upon, now. I have come out from Gibraltar to do a
little trade in fruit. It is sad to see women and children
suffering; and there is, as I told you, lots of money to be made
out of it. Now, I will make you a fair offer. You put the boat's
head round, now, and sail for Gibraltar. If the wind helps us a
bit, we shall be off the Rock by daylight. When we get there, I
will give you a hundred dollars, apiece."

"It is too much risk," one of the men said, after a long pause.

"There is no risk at all," Bob said, firmly. "You will get in there
tomorrow, and you can start again, as soon as it becomes dark; and
in the morning you will be able to sail into Marbella, and who is
to know that you haven't been across to Malaga, as you intended?

"I tell you what, I will give you another fifty dollars for your
fish; or you can sell them there, yourselves--they will fetch you
quite that."

The men still hesitated, and spoke together in a low voice.

"Look here, men," Bob said, as he took the two heavy pistols from
his bag, "I have come out from the Rock to do this, and I am going
to do it. The question is, 'Which do you choose--to earn two
hundred and fifty dollars for a couple of days' work, or to be shot
and thrown overboard?' This boat is going there, whether you go in
her or not. I don't want to hurt you--I would rather pay the two
hundred and fifty dollars--but that fruit may save the lives of
many women, and little children, and I am bound to do it.

"You can make another trip or not, just as you please. Now, I think
y