ut an idea
of where I was going, and by the time I got my wits back, I couldn't
tell just where I was, in the rain and the dark. I seemed to be right on
top of the ridge, but I had zig-zagged several times, I remembered, and
when I tried to figure which side of the hill I should go down, I
couldn't for the life of me decide. Finally I said to myself, 'Here,
don't be a fool! Which way was the wind blowing when we set out from the
shack? Aha, it was north,' says I. 'Very well, then, this must be the
way to the cabin--straight into the wind,' And down the hill I started,
bearing over to my right, so as to come out just above the sheep-pen."

"But--" interrupted Jeremy, "when that storm came up the wind backed
clear round into the south--"

"I know it now," Bob answered, "but I didn't then. I kept right on,
tickled that I was out of it so well, and wondering where the rest of
you had gotten to. Pretty soon I came to some low land that I didn't
remember, but I saw a light off ahead and to my right, and decided that
was the cabin. I blundered along through the trees till I was quite
close, and then I discovered that the light came from a bonfire. I
stopped for a second, puzzled, for I was sure I must be near the cabin.
I wondered if the pirates had captured it. I stole up still closer and
watched the light and presently a buccaneer walked in front of it.

"That was enough for me. I turned and started to run. And at about the
third step I fell plump into the arms of a pirate. You see I had walked
straight toward their part of the island by making that silly mistake.

"This fellow got a grip on my collar, and I couldn't break loose, though
I'll warrant his shins are tender yet, where I kicked him. He hauled me
down to the fire, and he and three others who were there looked me
over. The one that had caught me was a big mulatto--as ugly-looking a
customer as I ever saw. And the others were no lambs. I'll tell you, my
hearties, Daggs has gathered up a pretty lot of rascals in this crew.
Not one of 'em but looks as if he'd knife you for a copper farthing!

"These four by the fire wasted no time, but went through my pockets in a
hurry. They took my pistol and were quarreling about dividing the
goldpieces I had, when the rest of the crowd began to appear. They were
all wet, and in a bad temper for a dozen other reasons. Plenty of curses
came my way, but no one laid a hand on me, for they had a mighty fear of
Pharaoh Daggs. When h