nfernal cut-throats," spluttered the
captain. "This is piracy."

"Don't call any names now," said the tall man; "'t ain't healthy. We
don't want to hurt ye, but I tell ye seriously, ye never were nearer
death than ye are now. It's a risky thing, and a foolish thing, too,
gentlemen, to steal three American citizens with guns under their
shirts, and take 'em so far from land as this. Hangin''s the fit and
proper punishment for hoss-stealin', but man-stealin''s so great a
crime that I'm not right sure what the punishment is. Now, we don't
know much 'bout boats and ropes,--though we can tie a hangman's knot
when necessary,--but we do know somethin' 'bout guns and human
natur'--here, you, come 'way from that fence."

The captain was edging toward a belaying-pin; but he noticed that the
speaker's voice had lost its plaintiveness, and three tubes were
looking at him. He drew inboard, and the leader resumed:

"Now, fust thing, who's foreman o' this outfit? Who's boss?"

"I'm captain here."

"You are? You are not. I'm captain. Get up on that shanty." The small
house over the mizzen-hatch was indicated, and Captain Belchior climbed
it. The tubes were still looking at him.

"Now, you, there, you man who hit me last night when I was sick, who
are you, and what?"

"Mate, d---- you."

"Up with you, and don't cuss. You did a cowardly thing, pardner--an
unmanly thing--low down and or'nary. You don't deserve to live any
longer; but my darter, back East at school, thinks I've killed enough
men for one lifetime, and mebbe she's right--mebbe she's right. Anyhow,
she don't like it, and that lets you out--though I won't answer for
'Pache and Laramie when my back's turned. You kicked 'em both. But I'll
just return the blow." The mate had but straightened up on top of the
hatch-house when the terrible pistol spat out another red tongue, and
his yell followed the report, as he clapped his hand to the ear through
which the bullet had torn.

"Hands up, there!" thundered the shooter, and the mate obeyed, while a
stream of blood ran down inside his shirt-collar.

"Any more bosses here?"

The second mate did not respond; but 'Pache's pistol sought him out,
and under its influence, and his guttural, "I know you; get up," he
followed his superiors.

"Any more?"

A manly-looking fellow stepped out of the group, and said: "You've got
the captain and two mates. I'm bo's'n here, and yonder's my mate. We're
next, but we're not bosses in t