it
meant getting Colonel Bishop by the throat. It could be done, I tell
you. We've but to spy the chance when the Jamaica fleet is away. There's
enough plunder in the town to tempt the lads, and there's the wench for
you. Shall I sound them on 't?"

Blood was on his feet, his eyes blazing, his livid face distorted.
"Ye'll leave my cabin this minute, so ye will, or, by Heaven, it's your
corpse'll be carried out of it. Ye mangy hound, d'ye dare come to me
with such proposals?"

He fell to cursing his faithful officer with a virulence the like of
which he had never yet been known to use. And Wolverstone, in terror
before that fury, went out without another word. The subject was not
raised again, and Captain Blood was left to his idle abstraction.

But at last, as his buccaneers were growing desperate, something
happened, brought about by the Captain's friend M. d'Ogeron. One sunny
morning the Governor of Tortuga came aboard the Arabella, accompanied
by a chubby little gentleman, amiable of countenance, amiable and
self-sufficient of manner.

"My Captain," M. d'Ogeron delivered himself, "I bring you M. de Cussy,
the Governor of French Hispaniola, who desires a word with you."

Out of consideration for his friend, Captain Blood pulled the pipe from
his mouth, shook some of the rum out of his wits, and rose and made a
leg to M. de Cussy.

"Serviteur!" said he.

M. de Cussy returned the bow and accepted a seat on the locker under the
stem windows.

"You have a good force here under your command, my Captain," said he.

"Some eight hundred men."

"And I understand they grow restive in idleness."

"They may go to the devil when they please."

M. de Cussy took snuff delicately. "I have something better than that to
propose," said he.

"Propose it, then," said Blood, without interest.

M. de Cussy looked at M. d'Ogeron, and raised his eyebrows a little.
He did not find Captain Blood encouraging. But M. d'Ogeron nodded
vigorously with pursed lips, and the Governor of Hispaniola propounded
his business.

"News has reached us from France that there is war with Spain."

"That is news, is it?" growled Blood.

"I am speaking officially, my Captain. I am not alluding to unofficial
skirmishes, and unofficial predatory measures which we have condoned out
here. There is war--formally war--between France and Spain in Europe. It
is the intention of France that this war shall be carried into the New
World. A fleet is comi