have said that I am
willing to submit quietly to whatever the law condemns me. You don't
take me for a woman or a child, that will be apt to cry out when hurt?"

"Certainly not; but as I'm goin' to take ye away out o' this here limbo,
it is needful that I should prewent you from lettin' people know that
yer goin' on your travels; for I've heerd say there's some o' yer
friends as is plottin' to help you to escape."

"Have I not said already that I do not wish to escape, and therefore
will not take advantage of any opportunity afforded me by my friends?--
Friends! I have no friends! Even those whom I thought were my friends
have not been near my prison all this day."

Gascoyne said this bitterly, and in great anger.

"Hush!" exclaimed Dick; "not quite so loud, mister pirate. You see
there _is_ some reason in my puttin' this on your mouth. It'll be as
well to let me do it quietly, else I'll have to get a little help."

He pointed to the three stout men who stood motionless and silent in the
dark recess.

"Oh, it was cowardly of you to bind my arms before you told me this,"
said Gascoyne, with flashing eyes. "If my hands were free now--"

He checked himself by a powerful effort, and crushed back the boastful
defiance which rose to his lips.

"Now, I'll tell ye wot it is, Mister Gascoyne," said Dick Price, "I do
believe yer not such a bad feller as they say ye are, an' I'm disposed
to be marciful to ye. If ye'll give me your word of honour that you'll
not holler out, and that you'll go with us peaceably, and do wot yer
bid, I'll not trouble you with the napkin, nor bind ye up more than I've
done already. But," (here Dick spoke in tones that could not be
misunderstood,) "if ye won't give me that promise, I'll gag ye and bind
ye neck and heels, and we'll carry ye out o' this shoulder high. Now,
wot say ye to that?"

Gascoyne had calmed his feelings while the boatswain was speaking. He
even smiled when he replied--"How can you ask me to give my word of
honour? What honour has a pirate to boast of, think you?"

"Not much, pr'aps," said Dick; "howsomdever, I'll be content with wot's
left of it; and if there ain't none, why, then, give us yer word. It'll
do as well."

"After all, it matters little what is done with me," said Gascoyne, in a
resigned voice. "I am a fool to resist thus. You need not fear that I
will offer any further resistance, my man. Do your duty, whitever that
may be."

"That won't