He　started；　and　his　black　brows　drew　together。　〃Though　the　fortunes　of　war　have　made　me　in　some　sort　your　captive；　sir；〃　he　said　at　last；　and　not　without　dignity；　〃I　do　not　see；　upon　this　isle　to　which　we　are　all　prisoners；　the　need　of　so　strong　testimony　to　the　abjectness　of　my　condition；　nor　deem　it　generous〃　…
  〃We　will　speak　of　generosity　another　day；　my　lord；〃　I　interrupted。　〃At　present　I　am　in　a　hurry。　That　you　are　my　prisoner　in　verity　is　enough　for　me；　but　not　for　others。　I　must　have　you　so　in　seeming　as　well　as　in　truth。　Moreover；　Master　Sparrow　is　weaponless；　and　I　must　needs　disarm　an　enemy　to　arm　a　friend。　I　beg　that　you　will　give　what　else　we　must　take。〃
  He　looked　at　Diccon；　but　Diccon　stood　with　his　face　to　the　sea。　I　thought　we　were　to　have　a　struggle；　and　I　was　sorry　for　it；　but　my　lord　could　and　did　add　discretion　to　a　valor　that　I　never　doubted。　He　shrugged　his　shoulders；　burst　into　a　laugh；　and　turned　to　Mistress　Percy。
  〃What　can　one　do；　lady；　when　one　is　doubly　a　prisoner；　prisoner　to　numbers　and　to　beauty？　E'en　laugh　at　fate；　and　make　the　best　of　a　bad　job。　Here；　sir！　Some　day　it　shall　be　the　point！〃
  He　drew　his　rapier　from　its　sheath；　and　presented　the　hilt　to　me。　I　took　it　with　a　bow；　and　handed　it　to　Sparrow。
  The　King's　ward　had　risen；　and　now　leant　against　the　bank　of　sand；　her　long　dark　hair；　half　braided；　drawn　over　either　shoulder；　her　face　marble　white　between　the　waves　of　darkness。
  〃I　do　not　know　that　I　shall　ever　come　back；〃　I　said；　stopping　before　her。　〃May　I　kiss　your　hand　before　I　go？〃
  Her　lips　moved；　but　she　did　not　speak。　I　knelt　and　kissed　her　clasped　hands。　They　were　cold　to　my　lips。　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　she　whispered。　〃Into　what　danger　are　you　going？　I　…　I　…　take　me　with　you！〃
  I　rose；　with　a　laugh　at　my　own　folly　that　could　　have　rested　brow　and　lips　on　those　hands；　and　let　the　world　wag。　〃Another　time；〃　I　said。　〃Rest　in　the　sunshine　now；　and　think　that　all　is　well。　All　will　be　well；　I　trust。〃
  A　few　minutes　later　saw　me　almost　upon　the　party　gathered　about　the　grave。　The　grave　had　received　that　which　it　was　to　hold　until　the　crack　of　doom；　and　was　now　being　rapidly　filled　with　sand。　The　crew　of　deep…dyed　villains　worked　or　stood　or　sat　in　silence；　but　all　looked　at　the　grave；　and　saw　me　not。　As　the　last　handful　of　sand　made　it　level　with　the　beach；　I　walked　into　their　midst；　and　found　myself　face　to　face　with　the　three　candidates　for　the　now　vacant　captaincy。
  〃Give　you　good…day；　gentlemen；〃　I　cried。　〃Is　it　your　captain　that　you　bury　or　one　of　your　crew；　or　is　it　only　pezos　and　pieces　of　eight？〃
  CHAPTER　XXII　　IN　WHICH　I　CHANGE　MY　NAME　AND　OCCUPATION
  〃THE　sun　shining　on　so　much　bare　steel　hurts　my　eyes；〃　I　said。　〃Put　up；　gentlemen；　put　up！　Cannot　one　rover　attend　the　funeral　of　another　without　all　this　crowding　and　display　of　cutlery？　If　you　will　take　the　trouble　to　look　around　you；　you　will　see　that　I　have　brought　to　the　obsequies　only　myself。〃
  One　by　one　cutlass　and　sword　were　lowered；　and　those　who　had　drawn　them；　falling　somewhat　back；　spat　and　swore　and　laughed。　The　man　in　black　and　silver　only　smiled　gently　and　sadly。　〃Did　you　drop　from　the　blue？〃　he　asked。　〃Or　did　you　come　up　from　the　sea？〃
  〃I　came　out　of　it；〃　I　said。　〃My　ship　went　down　in　the　storm　yesterday。　Your　little　cockboat　yonder　was　more　fortunate。〃　I　waved　my　hand　toward　that　ship　of　three　hundred　tons；　then　twirled　my　mustaches　and　stood　at　gaze。
  〃Was　your　ship　so　large；　then？〃　demanded　Paradise；　while　a　murmur　of　admiration；　larded　with　oaths；　ran　around　the　circle。
  〃She　was　a　very　great　galleon；〃　I　replied；　with　a　sigh　for　the　good　ship　that　was　gone。
  A　moment's　silence；　during　which　they　all　looked　at　me。　〃A　galleon；〃　then　said　Paradise　softly。
  〃They　that　sailed　her　yesterday　are　to…day　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea；〃　I　continued。　〃Alackaday！　so　　are　one　hundred　thousand　pezos　of　gold；　three　thousand　bars　of　silver；　ten　frails　of　pearls；　jewels　uncounted；　cloth　of　gold　and　cloth　of　silver。　She　was　a　very　rich　prize。〃
  The　circle　sucked　in　their　breath。　〃All　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea？〃　queried　Red　Gil；　with　gloating　eyes　fixed　upon　the　smiling　water。　〃Not　one　pezo　left；　not　one　little；　little　pearl？〃
  I　shook　my　head　and　heaved　a　prodigious　sigh。　〃The　treasure　is　gone；〃　I　said；　〃and　the　men　with　whom　I　took　it　are　gone。　I　am　a　captain　with　neither　ship　nor　crew。　I　take　you；　my　friends；　for　a　ship　and　crew　without　a　captain。　The　inference　is　obvious。〃
  The　ring　gaped　with　wonder；　then　strange　oaths　arose。　Red　Gil　broke　into　a　bellow　of　angry　laughter；　while　the　Spaniard　glared　like　a　catamount　about　to　spring。　〃So　you　would　be　our　captain？〃　said　Paradise；　picking　up　another　shell；　and　poising　it　upon　a　hand　as　fine　and　small　as　a　woman's。
  〃Faith；　you　might　go　farther　and　fare　worse；〃　I　answered；　and　began　to　hum　a　tune。　When　I　had　finished　it；　〃I　am　Kirby；〃　I　said；　and　waited　to　see　if　that　shot　should　go　wide　or　through　the　hull。
  For　two　minutes　the　dash　of　the　surf　and　the　cries　of　the　wheeling　sea　fowl　made　the　only　sound　in　that　part　of　the　world；　then　from　those　half…clad　rapscallions　arose　a　shout　of　〃Kirby！〃　…　a　shout　in　which　the　three　leaders　did　not　join。　That　one　who　looked　a　gentleman　rose　from　the　sand　and　made　me　a　low　bow。　〃Well　met；　noble　captain；〃　he　cried　in　those　his　honey　tones。　〃You　will　doubtless　remember　me　who　was　with　you　that　time　at　Maracaibo　when　you　sunk　the　galleasses。　Five　years　have　passed　since　　then；　and　yet　I　see　you　ten　years　younger　and　three　inches　taller。〃
  〃I　touched　once　at　the　Lucayas；　and　found　the　spring　de　Leon　sought；〃　I　said。　〃Sure　the　waters　have　a　marvelous　effect；　and　if　they　give　not　eternal　youth　at　least　renew　that　which　we　have　lost。〃
  〃Truly　a　potent　aqua　vit‘；〃　he　remarked；　still　with　thoughtful　melancholy。　〃I　see　that　it　hath　changed　your　eyes　from　black　to　gray。〃
  〃It　hath　that　peculiar　virtue；〃　I　said；　〃that　it　can　make　black　seem　white。〃
  The　man　with　the　woman's　mantle　drawn　about　him　now　thrust　himself　from　the　rear　to　the　front　rank。　〃That's　not　Kirby！〃　he　bawled。　〃He's　no　more　Kirby　than　I　am　Kirby！　Did　n't　I　sail　with　Kirby　from　the　Summer　Isles　to　Cartagena　and　back　again？　He's　a　cheat；　and　I　am　agoing　to　cut　his　heart　out！〃　He　was　making　at　me　with　a　long　knife；　when　I　whipped　out　my　rapier。
  〃Am　I　not　Kirby；　you　dog？〃　I　cried；　and　ran　him　through　the　shoulder。
  He　dropped；　and　his　fellows　surged　forward　with　a　yell。　〃Yet　a　little　patience；　my　masters！〃　said　Paradise　in　a　raised　voice　and　with　genuine　amusement　in　his　eyes。　〃It　is　true　that　that　Kirby　with　whom　I　and　our　friend　there　on　the　ground　sailed　was　somewhat　short　and　as　swart　as　a　raven；　besides　having　a　cut　across　his　face　that　had　taken　away　a　part　of　his　lip　and　the　top　of　his　ear；　and　that　this　gentleman　who　announces　himself　as　Kirby　hath　none　of　Kirby's　marks。　But　we　are　fair　and　generous　and　open　to　conviction〃　…
  〃He'll　have　to　convince　my　cutlass！〃　roared　Red　Gil。
  I　turned　upon　him。　〃If　I　do　convince　it；　what　then？〃　I　demanded。　〃If　I　convince　your　sword；　you　of　Spain；　and　yours；　Sir　Black　and　Silver？〃
  The　Spaniard　stared。　〃I　was　the　best　sword　in　Lima；〃　he　said　stiffly。　〃I　and　my　Toledo　will　not　change　our　minds。〃
  〃Let　him　try　to　convince　Paradise；　he's　got　no　reputation　as　a　swordsman！〃　cried　out　the　gravedigger　with　the　broken　head。
  A　roar　of　laughter　followed　this　suggestion；　and　I　gathered　from　it　and　from　the　oaths　and　allusions　to　this　or　that　time　and　place　that　Paradise　was　not　without　reputation。
  I　turned　to　him。　〃If　I　fight　you　three；　one　by　one；　and　win；　am　I　Kirby？〃
  He　regarded　the　shell　with　which　he　was　toying　with　a　thoughtful　smile；　held　it　up　that　the　light　might　strike　through　its　rose　and　pearl；　then　crushed　it　to　dust　between　his　fingers。
  〃Ay；〃　he　said　with　an　oath。　〃If　you　win　against　the　cutlass　of　Red　Gil；　the　best　blade　of　Lima；　and　the　sword　of　Paradise；　you　may　call　yourself　the　devil　an　you　please；　and　we　will　all　subscribe　to　it。〃
  I　lifted　my　hand。　〃I　am　to　have　fair　play？〃
  As　one　man　that　crew　of　desperate　villains　swore　that　the　odds　should　be　only　three　to　one。　By　this　the　whole　matter　had　presented　itself　to　them　as　an　entertainment　more　diverting　than　bullfight　or　bearbaiting。　They　that　follow　the　sea；　whether　honest　men　or　black…hearted　knaves；　have　in　their　composition　a　certain　childlikeness　that　makes　them　easily　turned；　easily　led；　and　easily　pleased。　The　wind　of　their　passion　shifts　quickly　from　point　to　point；　one　moment　blowing　a　hurricane；　the　next　sinking　to　a　　happy…go…lucky　summer　breeze。　I　have　seen　a　little　thing　convert　a　crew　on　the　point　of　mutiny　into　a　set　of　rollicking；　good…natured　souls　who　…　until　the　wind　veered　again　…　would　not　hurt　a　fly。　So　with　these。　They　spread　themselves　into　a　circle；　squatting　or　kneeling　or　standing　upon　the　white　sand　in　the　bright　sunshine；　their　sinewy　hands　that　should　have　been　ingrained　red　clasped　over　their　knees；　or；　arms　akimbo；　resting　upon　their　hips；　on　their　scoundrel　faces　a　broad　smile；　and　in　their　eyes　that　had　looked　on　nameless　horrors　a　pleasurable　expectation　as　of　spectators　in　a　playhouse　awaiting　the　entrance　of　the　players。
  〃There　is　really　no　good　reason　why　we　should　gratify　y