men who had
taken the place of the Frenchman's negro guards, had removed the crown
of whipcord from his brow. As for mademoiselle, she had risen, and was
leaning forward, a hand pressed tightly to her heaving breast, her face
deathly pale, a wild terror in her eyes.

It was soon over. The brute strength, upon which Levasseur so
confidently counted, could avail nothing against the Irishman's
practised skill. When, with both lungs transfixed, he lay prone on the
white sand, coughing out his rascally life, Captain Blood looked calmly
at Cahusac across the body.

"I think that cancels the articles between us," he said. With soulless,
cynical eyes Cahusac considered the twitching body of his recent leader.
Had Levasseur been a man of different temper, the affair might have
ended in a very different manner. But, then, it is certain that Captain
Blood would have adopted in dealing with him different tactics. As it
was, Levasseur commanded neither love nor loyalty. The men who followed
him were the very dregs of that vile trade, and cupidity was their only
inspiration. Upon that cupidity Captain Blood had deftly played, until
he had brought them to find Levasseur guilty of the one offence they
deemed unpardonable, the crime of appropriating to himself something
which might be converted into gold and shared amongst them all.

Thus now the threatening mob of buccaneers that came hastening to the
theatre of that swift tragi-comedy were appeased by a dozen words of
Cahusac's.

Whilst still they hesitated, Blood added something to quicken their
decision.

"If you will come to our anchorage, you shall receive at once your share
of the booty of the Santiago, that you may dispose of it as you please."

They crossed the island, the two prisoners accompanying them, and later
that day, the division made, they would have parted company but that
Cahusac, at the instances of the men who had elected him Levasseur's
successor, offered Captain Blood anew the services of that French
contingent.

"If you will sail with me again," the Captain answered him, "you may do
so on the condition that you make your peace with the Dutch, and restore
the brig and her cargo."

The condition was accepted, and Captain Blood went off to find his
guests, the children of the Governor of Tortuga.

Mademoiselle d'Ogeron and her brother--the latter now relieved of his
bonds--sat in the great cabin of the Arabella, whither they had been
conducted.

Wine