I asked the question.
You see, what with death by sword, shot, and sickness, there's not a man
in the ship who ever saw him, except yourself and me. The last of the
old hands, you know, went with Captain Daniel when you sent him and the
unwilling men away in the old schooner. I have no doubt, myself, from
what they say, that Zeppa has got well again, and managed to return home
as sound and sane as you or I."

"If you and I were sane, we should not be here," thought the pirate
captain; but he did not give expression to the thought, save by a
contemptuous curl of his lip.

"Well, Redford," he said, after a few seconds' pause, "my chief reason
for going to Sugar-loaf Island is removed, nevertheless we shall still
go there for a fresh load of sandal-wood and other things that will
fetch a good price."

"I fear, sir," returned the mate after some hesitation, "that the crew
will be apt to mutiny, if you insist on going there. They are tired of
this mixture of _trade_ with free-roving, and are anxious to sail in
seas where we shall be more likely to fall in with something worth
picking up."

"Stop, Redford, I want to hear no more. The crew shall go where I
please as long as I command them; and you may add that I will guarantee
their being pleased with my present plan. There, don't refer to this
subject again. Where did you say the British cruiser was last seen?"

"Bearing nor'-east, sir, hull down--on our starboard quarter. I called
you at once, but she had changed her course to nor'-west and we lost
sight of her."

"That will just suit us," said Rosco, going into his private cabin and
shutting the door.

Well might the pirate captain be perplexed at that time, for he was
surrounded by difficulties, not the least of which was that his men were
thoroughly dissatisfied with him, and he with them. He did not find his
crew sufficiently ready to go in for lucrative kidnapping of natives
when the chance offered, and they did not find their captain
sufficiently ferocious and bloodthirsty when prizes came in their way.
Nevertheless, through the influence of utter recklessness, contemptuous
disregard of death, and an indomitable will, backed by wonderful
capacity and aptitude in the use of fist, sword, and pistol, he had up
to this time held them in complete subjection.

In his heart Rosco had resolved to quit his comrades at the first
favourable opportunity, and, with this intent had been making for one of
the most