〃Ah！　Captain　Gomez；　when　I　left　my　home　and　country；　my　heart　was　half　dead　with　the　bitterness　of　parting；　and　now　must　I　bid　it　good…bye　once　more　when　I　am　bringing　back　happiness　and　ease　for　my　children？〃
  The　General　turned　his　head　away　towards　the　sea；　with　tears　of　rage　in　his　eyesand　saw　the　steersman　swimming　out　to　the　privateer。
  〃This　time　it　will　be　good…bye　for　good；〃　said　the　captain　by　way　of　answer；　and　the　dazed　look　in　the　Frenchman's　eyes　startled　the　Spaniard。
  By　this　time　the　two　vessels　were　almost　alongside；　and　at　the　first　sight　of　the　enemy's　crew　the　General　saw　that　Gomez's　gloomy　prophecy　was　only　too　true。　The　three　men　at　each　gun　might　have　been　bronze　statues；　standing　like　athletes；　with　their　rugged　features；　their　bare　sinewy　arms；　men　whom　Death　himself　had　scarcely　thrown　off　their　feet。
  The　rest　of　the　crew；　well　armed；　active；　light；　and　vigorous；　also　stood　motionless。　Toil　had　hardened；　and　the　sun　had　deeply　tanned；　those　energetic　faces；　their　eyes　glittered　like　sparks　of　fire　with　infernal　glee　and　clear…sighted　courage。　Perfect　silence　on　the　upper　deck；　now　black　with　men；　bore　abundant　testimony　to　the　rigorous　discipline　and　strong　will　which　held　these　fiends　incarnate　in　check。
  The　captain　of　the　/Othello/　stood　with　folded　arms　at　the　foot　of　the　main　mast；　he　carried　no　weapons；　but　an　axe　lay　on　the　deck　beside　him。　His　face　was　hidden　by　the　shadow　of　a　broad　felt　hat。　The　men　looked　like　dogs　crouching　before　their　master。　Gunners；　soldiers；　and　ship's　crew　turned　their　eyes　first　on　his　face；　and　then　on　the　merchant　vessel。
  The　two　brigs　came　up　alongside；　and　the　shock　of　contact　roused　the　privateer　captain　from　his　musings；　he　spoke　a　word　in　the　ear　of　the　lieutenant　who　stood　beside　him。
  〃Grappling…irons！〃　shouted　the　latter；　and　the　/Othello/　grappled　the　/Saint…Ferdinand/　with　miraculous　quickness。　The　captain　of　the　privateer　gave　his　orders　in　a　low　voice　to　the　lieutenant；　who　repeated　them；　the　men；　told　off　in　succession　for　each　duty；　went　on　the　upper　deck　of　the　/Saint…Ferdinand/；　like　seminarists　going　to　mass。　They　bound　crew　and　passengers　hand　and　foot　and　seized　the　booty。　In　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　provisions　and　barrels　full　of　piastres　were　transferred　to　the　/Othello/；　the　General　thought　that　he　must　be　dreaming　when　he　himself；　likewise　bound；　was　flung　down　on　a　bale　of　goods　as　if　he　had　been　part　of　the　cargo。
  A　brief　conference　took　place　between　the　captain　of　the　privateer　and　his　lieutenant　and　a　sailor；　who　seemed　to　be　the　mate　of　the　vessel；　then　the　mate　gave　a　whistle；　and　the　men　jumped　on　board　the　/Saint…　Ferdinand/；　and　completely　dismantled　her　with　the　nimble　dexterity　of　a　soldier　who　strips　a　dead　comrade　of　a　coveted　overcoat　and　shoes。
  〃It　is　all　over　with　us；〃　said　the　Spanish　captain　coolly。　He　had　eyed　the　three　chiefs　during　their　confabulation；　and　saw　that　the　sailors　were　proceeding　to　pull　his　vessel　to　pieces。
  〃Why　so？〃　asked　the　General。
  〃What　would　you　have　them　do　with　us？〃　returned　the　Spaniard。　〃They　have　just　come　to　the　conclusion　that　they　will　scarcely　sell　the　/Saint…Ferdinand/　in　any　French　or　Spanish　port；　so　they　are　going　to　sink　her　to　be　rid　of　her。　As　for　us；　do　you　suppose　that　they　will　put　themselves　to　the　expense　of　feeding　us；　when　they　don't　know　what　port　they　are　to　put　into？〃
  The　words　were　scarcely　out　of　the　captain's　mouth　before　a　hideous　outcry　went　up；　followed　by　a　dull　splashing　sound；　as　several　bodies　were　thrown　overboard。　He　turned；　the　four　merchants　were　no　longer　to　be　seen；　but　eight　ferocious…looking　gunners　were　still　standing　with　their　arms　raised　above　their　heads。　He　shuddered。
  〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　the　Spanish　captain　asked　coolly。
  The　Marquis　rose　to　his　feet　with　a　spring。　The　surface　of　the　sea　was　quite　smooth　again；　he　could　not　so　much　as　see　the　place　where　his　unhappy　fellow…passengers　had　disappeared。　By　this　time　they　were　sinking　down；　bound　hand　and　foot；　below　the　waves；　if；　indeed；　the　fish　had　not　devoured　them　already。
  Only　a　few　paces　away；　the　treacherous　steersman　and　the　sailor　who　had　boasted　of　the　Parisian's　power　were　fraternizing　with　the　crew　of　the　/Othello/；　and　pointing　out　those　among　their　own　number；　who；　in　their　opinion；　were　worthy　to　join　the　crew　of　the　privateer。　Then　the　boys　tied　the　rest　together　by　the　feet　in　spite　of　frightful　oaths。　It　was　soon　over；　the　eight　gunners　seized　the　doomed　men　and　flung　them　overboard　without　more　ado；　watching　the　different　ways　in　which　the　drowning　victims　met　their　death；　their　contortions；　their　last　agony；　with　a　sort　of　malignant　curiosity；　but　with　no　sign　of　amusement；　surprise；　or　pity。　For　them　it　was　an　ordinary　event　to　which　seemingly　they　were　quite　accustomed。　The　older　men　looked　instead　with　grim；　set　smiles　at　the　casks　of　piastres　about　the　main　mast。
  The　General　and　Captain　Gomez；　left　seated　on　a　bale　of　goods；　consulted　each　other　with　well…nigh　hopeless　looks；　they　were；　in　a　sense；　the　sole　survivors　of　the　/Saint…Ferdinand/；　for　the　seven　men　pointed　out　by　the　spies　were　transformed　amid　rejoicings　into　Peruvians。
  〃What　atrocious　villains！〃　the　General　cried。　Loyal　and　generous　indignation　silenced　prudence　and　pain　on　his　own　account。
  〃They　do　it　because　they　must；〃　Gomez　answered　coolly。　〃If　you　came　across　one　of　those　fellows；　you　would　run　him　through　the　body；　would　you　not？〃
  The　lieutenant　now　came　up　to　the　Spaniard。
  〃Captain；〃　said　he；　〃the　Parisian　has　heard　of　you。　He　says　that　you　are　the　only　man　who　really　knows　the　passages　of　the　Antilles　and　the　Brazilian　coast。　Will　you〃
  The　captain　cut　him　short　with　a　scornful　exclamation。
  〃I　shall　die　like　a　sailor；〃　he　said；　〃and　a　loyal　Spaniard　and　a　Christian。　Do　you　hear？〃
  〃Heave　him　overboard！〃　shouted　the　lieutenant；　and　a　couple　of　gunners　seized　on　Gomez。
  〃You　cowards！〃　roared　the　General；　seizing　hold　of　the　men。
  〃Don't　get　too　excited；　old　boy；〃　said　the　lieutenant。　〃If　your　red　ribbon　has　made　some　impression　upon　our　captain；　I　myself　do　not　care　a　rap　for　it。You　and　I　will　have　our　little　bit　of　talk　together　directly。〃
  A　smothered　sound；　with　no　accompanying　cry；　told　the　General　that　the　gallant　captain　had　died　〃like　a　sailor；〃　as　he　had　said。
  〃My　money　or　death！〃　cried　the　Marquis；　in　a　fit　of　rage　terrible　to　see。
  〃Ah！　now　you　talk　sensibly！〃　sneered　the　lieutenant。　〃That　is　the　way　to　get　something　out　of　us〃
  Two　of　the　men　came　up　at　a　sign　and　hastened　to　bind　the　Frenchmen's　feet；　but　with　unlooked…for　boldness　he　snatched　the　lieutenant's　cutlass　and　laid　about　him　like　a　cavalry　officer　who　knows　his　business。
  〃Brigands　that　you　are！　You　shall　not　chuck　one　of　Napoleon's　troopers　over　a　ship's　side　like　an　oyster！〃
  At　the　sound　of　pistol　shots　fired　point　blank　at　the　Frenchman；　〃the　Parisian〃　looked　round　from　his　occupation　of　superintending　the　transfer　of　the　rigging　from　the　/Saint…Ferdinand/。　He　came　up　behind　the　brave　General；　seized　him；　dragged　him　to　the　side；　and　was　about　to　fling　him　over　with　no　more　concern　than　if　the　man　had　been　a　broken　spar。　They　were　at　the　very　edge　when　the　General　looked　into　the　tawny　eyes　of　the　man　who　had　stolen　his　daughter。　The　recognition　was　mutual。
  The　captain　of　the　privateer；　his　arm　still　upraised；　suddenly　swung　it　in　the　contrary　direction　as　if　his　victim　was　but　a　feather　weight；　and　set　him　down　at　the　foot　of　the　main　mast。　A　murmur　rose　on　the　upper　deck；　but　the　captain　glanced　round；　and　there　was　a　sudden　silence。
  〃This　is　Helene's　father；〃　said　the　captain　in　a　clear；　firm　voice。　〃Woe　to　any　one　who　meddles　with　him！〃
  A　hurrah　of　joy　went　up　at　the　words；　a　shout　rising　to　the　sky　like　a　prayer　of　the　church；　a　cry　like　the　first　high　notes　of　the　/Te　Deum/。　The　lads　swung　aloft　in　the　rigging；　the　men　below　flung　up　their　caps；　the　gunners　pounded　away　on　the　deck；　there　was　a　general　thrill　of　excitement；　an　outburst　of　oaths；　yells；　and　shrill　cries　in　voluble　chorus。　The　men　cheered　like　fanatics；　the　General's　misgivings　deepened；　and　he　grew　uneasy；　it　seemed　to　him　that　there　was　some　horrible　mystery　in　such　wild　transports。
  〃My　daughter！〃　he　cried；　as　soon　as　he　could　speak。　〃Where　is　my　daughter？〃
  For　all　answer；　the　captain　of　the　privateer　gave　him　a　searching　glance；　one　of　those　glances　which　throw　the　bravest　man　into　a　confusion　which　no　theory　can　explain。　The　General　was　mute；　not　a　little　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　crew；　it　pleased　them　to　see　their　leader　exercise　the　strange　power　which　he　possessed　over　all　with　whom　he　came　in　contact。　Then　the　captain　led　the　way　down　a　staircase　and　flung　open　the　door　of　a　cabin。
  〃There　she　is；〃　he　said；　and　disappeared；　leaving　the　General　in　a　stupor　of　bewilderment　at　the　scene　before　his　eyes。
  Helene　cried　out　at　the　sight　of　him；　and　sprang　up　from　the　sofa　on　which　she　was　lying　when　the　door　flew　open。　So　changed　was　she　that　none　but　a　father's　eyes　could　have　recognized　her。　The　sun　of　the　tropics　had　brought　warmer　tones　into　the　once　pale　face；　and　something　of　Oriental　charm　with　that　wonderful　coloring；　there　was　a　certain　grandeur　about　her；　a