ected the
cargo, put a quartermaster and a score of men aboard the Jongvrow, and
left her to follow La Foudre, which he now headed south for the Leeward
Islands.

Cahusac was disposed to be ill-humoured. The risk they had run in
taking the Dutch brig and doing violence to members of the family of
the Governor of Tortuga, was out of all proportion to the value of their
prize. He said so, sullenly, to Levasseur.

"You'll keep that opinion to yourself," the Captain answered him. "Don't
think I am the man to thrust my neck into a noose, without knowing how
I am going to take it out again. I shall send an offer of terms to the
Governor of Tortuga that he will be forced to accept. Set a course for
the Virgen Magra. We'll go ashore, and settle things from there. And
tell them to fetch that milksop Ogeron to the cabin."

Levasseur went back to the adoring lady.

Thither, too, the lady's brother was presently conducted. The Captain
rose to receive him, bending his stalwart height to avoid striking the
cabin roof with his head. Mademoiselle rose too.

"Why this?" she asked Levasseur, pointing to her brother's pinioned
wrists--the remains of Cahusac's precautions.

"I deplore it," said he. "I desire it to end. Let M. d'Ogeron give me
his parole...."

"I give you nothing," flashed the white-faced youth, who did not lack
for spirit.

"You see." Levasseur shrugged his deep regret, and mademoiselle turned
protesting to her brother.

"Henri, this is foolish! You are not behaving as my friend. You...."

"Little fool," her brother answered her--and the "little" was out of
place; she was the taller of the twain. "Little fool, do you think
I should be acting as your friend to make terms with this blackguard
pirate?"

"Steady, my young cockerel!" Levasseur laughed. But his laugh was not
nice.

"Don't you perceive your wicked folly in the harm it has brought
already? Lives have been lost--men have died--that this monster might
overtake you. And don't you yet realize where you stand--in the power
of this beast, of this cur born in a kennel and bred in thieving and
murder?"

He might have said more but that Levasseur struck him across the mouth.
Levasseur, you see, cared as little as another to hear the truth about
himself.

Mademoiselle suppressed a scream, as the youth staggered back under the
blow. He came to rest against a bulkhead, and leaned there with bleeding
lips. But his spirit was unquenched, and there was a ghas