horwald,
speaking and treading with less caution as they left the settlement
behind them.

"Ambushments, and surprises, and night forages, especially when they
include Goats' Passes, don't suit me at all. I have a strong antipathy
to everything in the way of warfare, save a fair field and no favour
under the satisfactory light of the sun."

"Ho!" said Sambo quietly, as much as to say--I hear and appreciate, but
having no observation to make in reply, I wait for more from your
honoured lips.

"Now, you see," pursued Thorwald, "if I were to follow my own tastes--
which it seems to me I am destined not to be allowed to do any more in
the affairs of this world, if I may judge by the events of the past
month--if I were to follow my own tastes, I say I would go boldly to the
prison where this pestiferous pirate captain lies, put double irons on
him, and place a strong guard round the building. In this case I would
be ready to defend it against any odds, and would have the satisfaction
of standing up for the rights of the settlement like a man, and of
hurling defiance at the entire British navy (at least such portion of it
as happens to be on the island at this time) if they were to attempt a
rescue--as this Bumpus hints they are likely to do. Yet it seems to me
strange and unaccountable that they should thus interest themselves in a
vile pirate. I verily believe that I have been deceived, but it is too
late now to alter my plans or to hesitate. Truly, it seemeth to me that
I might style myself an ass without impropriety."

"Ho!" remarked Sambo, and the grin with which the remark was accompanied
seemed to imply that he not only appreciated his master's sentiment, but
agreed with it entirely.

"You've got eleven men, I trust, Sambo?"

"Yes, mass'r."

"All good and true, I hope? men who can be trusted both in regard to
their fighting qualities, and their ability to hold their tongues?"

"Dumb as owls, ebery von," returned Sambo.

"Good! You see, my man, I _must_ not permit that fellow to escape; at
the same time I do not wish to blazon abroad that it is my friend Henry
Stuart who is helping him. Neither do I wish to run the risk of killing
my friends in a scrimmage, if they are so foolish as to resist me;
therefore I am particular about the men you have told off for this duty.
Where did you say they are to meet us?"

"Close by de point, mass'r."

A few minutes' walk brought them to the point where the men we