es; the villains have been balked
of their prey this time at least!"

"Not so sure of that!" said a deep voice at my side, while at the same
moment a heavy hand grasped my shoulder and held it as if in a vice.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

I FALL INTO THE HANDS OF PIRATES--HOW THEY TREATED ME, AND WHAT I SAID
TO THEM--THE RESULT OF THE WHOLE ENDING IN A MELANCHOLY SEPARATION AND
IN A MOST UNEXPECTED GIFT.

My heart seemed to leap into my throat at the words; and turning round,
I beheld a man of immense stature and fierce aspect regarding me with a
smile of contempt. He was a white man--that is to say, he was a man of
European blood, though his face, from long exposure to the weather, was
deeply bronzed. His dress was that of a common seaman, except that he
had on a Greek skull-cap, and wore a broad shawl of the richest silk
round his waist. In this shawl were placed two pairs of pistols and a
heavy cutlass. He wore a beard and moustache, which, like the locks on
his head, were short, curly, and sprinkled with grey hairs.

"So, youngster," he said with a sardonic smile, while I felt his grasp
tighten on my shoulder, "the villains have been balked of their prey,
have they? We shall see--we shall see. Now, you whelp, look yonder!"
As he spoke, the pirate uttered a shrill whistle. In a second or two it
was answered, and the pirate boat rowed round the point at the Water
Garden and came rapidly towards us. "Now, go make a fire on that point;
and hark'ee, youngster, if you try to run away I'll send a quick and
sure messenger after you," and he pointed significantly at his pistols.

I obeyed in silence; and as I happened to have the burning-glass in my
pocket, a fire was speedily kindled, and a thick smoke ascended into the
air. It had scarcely appeared for two minutes when the boom of a gun
rolled over the sea, and looking up, I saw that the schooner was making
for the island again. It now flashed across me that this was a ruse on
the part of the pirates, and that they had sent their vessel away,
knowing that it would lead us to suppose that they had left altogether.
But there was no use of regret now. I was completely in their power; so
I stood helplessly beside the pirate, watching the crew of the boat as
they landed on the beach. For an instant I contemplated rushing over
the cliff into the sea; but this, I saw, I could not now accomplish, as
some of the men were already between me and the water.

There was