"Well, then, this is the game: down there in Carlina where we are
going there is a one-horse republic where they used to have a dinky
little kingdom. A republic is all right when it's an honest republic,
but this one isn't. It was stolen, and stolen from the finest woman in
the world. I'm going to give you all a chance to see her some day, and
I know you'll throw up your hats then and say the game is worth it, if
you don't before."

Their faces were as stolid as though they could not understand a word
of what he was saying. But he had lost sight of them and saw only the
eyes of the girl of whom he was speaking.

"Once, when she was a little girl, they put her in prison. And it
wasn't a man's prison either, but a mangy, low-down, dog kennel. Think
of it! Put her down there in the dark among the rats. But that was too
much for the decent ones of even that crowd, and they had to let her
go. So now she lives in a little house in her kingdom, like a beggar
outside her own door."

Danbury had worked himself up to a fever pitch. His words came
hoarsely and he stepped nearer in his excitement. But as he paused
once more, he realized that he was facing a pack of dummies. For a
moment he stared at them in amazement. Then he burst out,

"Are you with us, men? Haven't we something worth fighting for--something
worth fighting hard for?"

He heard a rough guffaw from a few men in the rear; then a voice:

"It's the dough we're out fer--no damned princess."

Danbury whitened. He leaped forward as though to throw himself into
the midst of them all, and reached for the throat of the man who had
spoken. But Stubbs who had been watching, drew his revolver, and
followed close behind. With the aid of Wilson he separated the two and
drew off Danbury, while keeping the others at bay.

"Go below," he commanded. "Let me talk to 'em a minute."

"But--but the damned jellyfish--the----"

Wilson seized his arm and managed to drag him away and down to his
cabin. Then Stubbs, with feet wide apart, faced the gang. His voice
was low, but they did not miss a word.

"Th' cap'n," he began, "has talked to ye as though ye was white men
'cause he's young and clean an' doesn't know the likes of ye. He
hain't had so much to do with a bunch of white-livered, swill-tub jail
birds as I have. But don't you go further an' make th' mistake thet
'cause he's young he ain't a man yet. 'Cause if ye do, ye'll wake up
sudden with a jolt. Even if he did mista