from--"

"Addressing me, I suppose you mean," said Kate. "What you say, kind
captain, redounds to your honour, and I thank you for your noble
consideration, but I feel bound to tell you that there was never
anything between me and Captain Vince, and he is now dead."

The young pirate stepped back suddenly and opened wide his eyes. "What!"
he exclaimed, "and all the time you were--"

"Not free," she interrupted with a smile, "for I have a lover on the
island of Barbadoes."

"Barbadoes," repeated Captain Ichabod, and he bade Kate a most
courteous farewell.

All the good-byes had been said and good wishes had been wished, when,
just as he was about to descend to his boat, Captain Ichabod turned to
Lucilla. "And it is truly to Barbadoes you go?" he asked.

"Yes," said she, "I think we shall certainly do that."

Now his face flushed. "And do you care for that fellow in the cocked
hat?"

Here was a cruel situation for poor Lucilla. She must lie or lose two
men. She might lose them anyway, but she would not do it of her own free
will, and so she lied.

"Not a whit!" said Lucilla.

The eyes of Ichabod brightened as he went down the side of the brig.

CHAPTER XXXIII

BLACKBEARD GIVES GREENWAY SOME DIFFICULT WORK

The great pirate Blackbeard, inactive and taking his ease, was seated on
the quarter-deck of his fine vessel, on which he had lately done some
sharp work off the harbour of Charles Town. He was now commanding a
small fleet. Besides the ship on which he sailed, he had two other
vessels, well manned and well laden with supplies from his recent
captures. Satisfied with conquest, he was sailing northward to one of
his favourite resorts on the North Carolina coast.

To this conquering hero now came Ben Greenway, the Scotchman, touching
his hat.

"And what do you want?" cried the burly pirate. "Haven't they given you
your prize-money yet, or isn't it enough?"

"Prize-money!" exclaimed Greenway. "I hae none o' it, nor will I hae
any. What money I hae--an' it is but little--came to me fairly."

"Oho!" cried Blackbeard, "and you have money then, have you? Is it
enough to make it worth my while to take it?"

"Ye can count it an' see, whenever ye like," said Ben. "But it isna
money that I came to talk to ye about. I came to ask ye, at the first
convenient season, to put me on board that ship out there, that I may be
in my rightful place by the side o' Master Bonnet."

"And what good are you to him,