isk saved from the wreck of the Spanish
brig. "Yes, I remember you," he whispered in his broken English; "but
don't let others know that. I'm not a man to forget kindness, that's
all."

"Do you know anything of Mr Brand and the other men?" I asked eagerly.
He made no reply; and immediately afterwards, assuming an air of
authority, he ordered the doctor, Jerry, and me, to get into the boat.

The doctor entreated that he might be left to attend the two wounded
Sandwich islanders. The men, when they came on deck, laughed at his
request. "We have got wounded too, and shall want you to attend on
them," they answered; "if you are a doctor, you are welcome." Still the
doctor pleaded so hard for the poor men that at last they consented to
take one of them; the other, indeed, was already beyond all hopes of
recovery. We turned a last look at the body of poor Captain Stone.

"What is to be done with him?" asked Jerry.

"Never mind him, youngster," answered one of the men; "we'll soon
dispose of him."

Silva, leaving three men on board, ordered us to get into his boat to
return with him to the big schooner. As we were shoving off, old
Surley, who had been smelling about after the other men, gave a loud
bark, as much as to say, "Don't leave me behind," and leaped in after
us. Truly glad were we to have him, poor fellow. He might prove to us
a friend in need.

We stepped on deck; the crew, we thought, eyed us with very sinister
looks, but no one spoke to us till a man we took to be the captain
stepped up to the gangway. "Who are you, and where do you come from,
who go about prying into other people's affairs?" he exclaimed in a
gruff voice. He stamped with his feet as lift spoke, as if lashing
himself up into a rage. He was a pale, long-faced man, with a large
beard, and a very evil expression in his eye.

"We have no wish to pry into anybody's affairs," answered the doctor
quietly. "We missed a boat with some of the people belonging to this
schooner, and we thought they might be aboard your vessel."

"I know nothing of the people you talk of; but as you have seen more
than you ought, I suspect you'll remain with us. We happen to want just
such a schooner as yours, so say no more about it. You may think
yourselves fortunate in not losing your lives. There's no disguise
about us, you see."

Had we before felt any doubts on the subject, these remarks would have
revealed to us too clearly the character of th