table the identical old gentleman whom I
believed to be called Captain Ralph. He did not look a day older than
when he came on board the _Rainbow_ off Saint Kitt's, and he wore the
same old-fashioned three-cornered hat and laced-coat.

"You have seen me before, lad," said he, eyeing me closely.

"Yes, sir," said I, resolving to be frank with him; "on board the
_Rainbow_."

"You are attached to your captain, and would wish to do him a service?"
he added.

"Yes, sir," said I. "What do you want me to do?"

"Tell him that all his people have taken the oaths and joined the
confederacy," he answered, looking at me hard.

"I don't know what oaths, or what else you mean, sir," I answered. "I
cannot tell him anything that is not true."

"What? a ship-boy with a conscience?" he exclaimed, bursting into a fit
of laughter. "I tell you, lad, you must do as you are bid."

"Yes, sir, I'll do what my captain tells me," I replied, simply. "But
for the matter of saying anything to deceive him, I won't do it. I'll
tell him the truth, and then he'll know how to act."

He looked at me very hard for a moment or so, and then rang a bell by
his side. From what he had said, I hoped that the captain was safe and
well. The same man who had brought me in appeared.

"Send Diego here to take care of this youngster, and bring in one of the
other men, the tall one--I will try what I can make of him," he said;
and the white man disappeared.

Directly afterwards, a sturdy black man came in. Captain Ralph pointed
to me. He seized me by the collar, and held me a prisoner on one side
of the room. In a short time Peter was brought in.

"You find life and liberty sweet, my man?" said the old gentleman,
addressing him.

"I've no objection to either," answered Peter sturdily.

"You've been well-treated since you've been here?" said Captain Ralph.

"I've no reason to complain," was Peter's laconic reply.

"Very well; you may judge that I do not wish you ill," observed Captain
Ralph. "Now, I won't conceal it from you, we have a body of people on
this island who don't own any laws except those of our own making. A
large number of them are Spaniards, and I want a few honest Englishmen,
who will stick by one another, to join us. What do you say? Are you
inclined to join us? Your captain will, I have no doubt, and so will
this lad and the rest of your shipmates."

I shook my head. Captain Ralph did not see me, but the negro did,