n anybody's chances they
would have to be Captain Magnus's, wouldn't they ?"

"Good gracious, Virginia!" shrieked Aunt Jane faintly. But I went
on relentlessly, determined to distract her mind from thoughts of
her approaching end.

"All things considered, I suppose I really ought to ask you to put
my affairs in order when you get back. If I am carried off by the
pirates, naturally I shall have to jump overboard at once, though I
dislike the idea of drowning, and especially of being eaten by
sharks. Would you mind putting up a little headstone--it needn't
cost much--in the family plot, with just 'Virginia' on it? And
anything of mine that you don't want yourself I'd like Bess to have
for the baby, please. Ask her when the little duck is old enough
to tell her my sad story--"

By this time Aunt Jane was sobbing loudly and waving her little
hands about in wild beseeching.

"Oh, my precious girl, a _headstone_! My love, would I grudge you
a _monument_--all white marble--little angels--'From her
heart-broken aunt'? Oh, why, why are we not safe at home together?
Why was I lured away to wander about the world with perfect
strangers? Why--"

"Jane!" broke in Miss Browne again in awful tones. But at that
moment the door of the cabin opened and the face of Slinker peered
in.

"Say," he remarked, "there ain't no sense in you girls stayin'
cooped up here that I see. I guess me and Horny can stand you off
if you try to rush us. Come out and cool off a little."

The great heat of the day was over and the sun already dropping
behind the peak of the island. Mr. Shaw and Cuthbert had been
allowed to sit in the shade, and I thought their wrists were not
too tightly bound for comfort. Cookie had been released, and under
the eye of Horny was getting supper. Crusoe had earlier in the day
received a kick in the ribs from Captain Magnus, fortunately too
much occupied with the prisoners to pursue his vengeance further,
and had fled precipitately, to my enormous relief. The dog was
quite wise enough to know that he would help me best by keeping out
of the clutches of our common foe. I hoped he had gone back to his
solitary pig-chasing, though I thought I had caught a glimpse of
him once at the edge of the wood. But at least he knew better than
to venture into the clearing.

I tried to pass in a casual manner close to Mr. Shaw and
Cuthbert--who looked more of a crusading Norman than ever--in hopes
of a whispered wor