own, stoop over and take the bottle
aboard his launch.

"Ahoy, the launch!" I hailed. He put a hand at his ear as I megaphoned
him. "Take this message for Mr. Calvin Davidson," I hailed. He nodded
that he heard. "--That to-night John Doe will wear his waistcoat, the
one with the pink stripes. Do you get me?"

Apparently he did not get me, for he sat down suddenly and mopped his
face. We left him so. And for aught I could know, he took back ashore
material for a newspaper story, which bade fair to be better for the
newspapers than for us on board the _Belle Helene_; for, up and down
the river, the wires might carry the news that a crazy man had been
guilty of piracy, highway robbery, abduction, I know not how many
other crimes; and to arrest him on his mad career they might enlist
all the authorities, municipal, county, state and even national. "John
Doe," said I to myself, "if I really were you, methinks I should make
haste." None the less I smiled; for, if I were John Doe only, then
Calvin Davidson had no idea who had stolen his chartered yacht, and
who was about to disport in his most cherished waistcoat! The
situation pleased me very much. "L'Olonnois," said I, "come hither, my
hearty."

"Aye, aye, Sir," replied that worthy. "What is it, Black Bart?"

"Nothing, except I was just going to say that I enjoy it very much,
this being a pirate."

"So do I," said he. "An' let any pursue us at their peril!"

CHAPTER XVIII

IN WHICH IS DISCUSSION OF TWO AUNTIES

L'Olonnois was still all for training the stern-chaser Long Tom (the
_Belle Helene's_ brass yacht cannon) on the enemy, and came to me
presently breathing defiance. "'F I only had any chain shot in the
locker," said he, "beshrew me, but I would pay him well for this! He's
got my Auntie Helen's auntie scared silly."

"And how about your Auntie Helena herself?" I asked of him. Thus far,
he had been guilty of no nepotism whatever, and had treated his auntie
as any other captive maiden, perchance fallen into his ruthless hands.

"Well, she ain't so scared as she is mad, near's I can see," was his
reply. "She sat there when I first drove 'em down-stairs, lookin' at
me, an' she says, 'Jimmy,' says she, 'what's all this foolishness?'
An' she reaches out her hand, an' she offers me candy--she makes awful
nice fudges, too. She knew that wasn't fair! But I says to her.
'Woman, cease all blandishments, for now you are in our power!' An' I
liked that, fer I b