men clamoured; but again the captain went on:

"What, are we worse than your English man-of-war vessels? You go to
war with a country, you take her vessels, you kill her men, and your
crews divide the booty. What, are we worse? Nay, we are better!"

I did not attempt to argue further with him, being maddened at the
thought of my captain being killed, and of the wife and children who
would have to bewail his loss. So instead of answering him I burst
into a torrent of abuse.

"Tie his hands and blindfold him," cried the captain savagely.

In a few seconds this was done!

They placed me on the plank.

"Walk!" cried the captain.

In a second a vision of my old home flashed before me, but I walked
straight on. I felt the warp of the plank, and knew I was nearing the
end!

Step by step I walked, then my foot went into space, and in a minute
more I fell bound into the deep sea, hearing the savage yell of the
pirate crew as I did so!

CHAPTER XV

THE VOICE OF THE SOUL

I had scarcely fallen into the water when I felt myself drawn up again.
Unknown to me a rope had been fastened around me, and in another minute
I stood upon the deck.

"Good!" cried the captain. "You stood the test well, and are just the
sort of fellow we want." I looked at him in astonishment.

"Yes, you may look," he said, "but at heart you are one of us. I can
see both discontent and defiance in your eyes, your face. You are out
of love with the world, and when you know my history you'll sympathise
with me, and won't take much persuading to become one of our crew."

I was thereupon taken to a cabin, where I was supplied with dry
clothes, after which the captain came and spoke to me. Evidently, he
was desirous of my becoming one of his allies, for without hesitation
he told me the history of his life and his reasons for leading such a
life.

I will not repeat his story at length. I do not wish to recall in
detail the terrible things he related. True to his Spanish nature, he
hated intensely and loved intensely. When quite a boy he had loved,
and his love had been returned. There were months of happiness, then a
rich nobleman appeared, and, fascinated by the beauty of his betrothed
sought to win her from him. Defeated in this, he used force. Then
followed a succession of plots and cunning intrigue, and, finally,
through the avarice and greed of his love's father, through social
influence, and through devilry of the wors