Part 26 (1/2)

”More's the pity; she would have been safer with me than with my first mate, who is the greatest villain afloat on the high seas. He does not like our milk-and-water style of robbing. He is an out-and-out pirate in heart, and has long desired to cut my throat. I have to thank him for being here to-night. Some of the crew who are like himself seized me while I was asleep, bound and gagged me, put me into a boat and rowed me ash.o.r.e;--for we had easily escaped the _Talisman_ in the squall, and doubling or our course came back here. The mate was anxious to clear off old scores by cutting my throat at once and pitching me into the sea. Luckily some of the men, not so bloodthirsty as he, objected to this, so I was landed and cast loose.”

”But what of Alice?” cried Mr Mason, anxiously. ”How can we save her?”

”By taking my advice,” answered Gascoyne. ”You have a small cutter at anchor off the creek at the foot of the hill. Put a few trusty men aboard of her, and I will guide you to the island where the _Avenger_ has been wont to fly when hard pressed.”

”But how do you know that Manton will go there?” inquired Henry, eagerly.

”Because he is short of powder, and all our stores are concealed there, besides much of our ill-gotten wealth.”

”And how can you expect us to put ourselves so completely in your power?” said Mr Mason.

”Because you _must_ do so if you would save your child. She is safe now, I know, and will be until the _Avenger_ leaves the island where our stores are concealed. If we do not save her before that happens, _she is lost to you for ever_!”

”That no man can say. She is in the hands of G.o.d,” cried Mr Mason, fervently.

”True, true,” said Gascoyne, musing. ”But G.o.d does not work by miracles. We must be up and doing at once. I promise you that I shall be faithful, and that, after the work is done, I will give myself up to justice.”

”May we trust him, mother?” said Henry.

”You may trust him, my son,” replied the widow, in a tone of decision that satisfied Henry, while it called forth a look of grat.i.tude from the pirate.

The party now proceeded to arrange the details of their plan for the rescue of Alice and her companions. These were speedily settled, and Henry rose to go and put them in train. He turned the key of the door and was on the point of lifting the latch, when this was done for him by some one on the outside. He had just time to step back when the door flew open, and he stood face to face with Hugh Barnes the cooper.

”Have you heard the news, Henry?--hallo!”

This abrupt exclamation was caused by the sight of Gascoyne, who rose quietly the moment he heard the door open, and, turning his back towards it, walked slowly into a small apartment that opened off the widow's parlour, and shut the door.

”I say, Henry, who's that big fellow?” said the cooper, casting a suspicious glance towards the little room into which he had disappeared.

”He is a _friend_ of mine,” replied Mrs Stuart, rising hastily, and welcoming her visitor.

”Humph! it's well he's a _friend_,” said the man as he took a chair, ”I shouldn't like to have him for an enemy.”

”But what is the news you were so anxious to tell us?” inquired Henry.

”That Gascoyne, the pirate captain, has been seen on the island by some of the women, and there's a regular hunt organising. Will you go with us?”

”I have more important work to do, Hugh,” replied Henry, ”besides, I want you to go with me on a hunt which I'll tell you about if you'll come with me to the creek.”

”By all means, come along.”

Henry and the cooper at once left the cottage. The latter was let into the secret, and prevailed on to form one of the crew of the _Wasp_, as the little cutter was named. In the course of the afternoon everything was in readiness. Gascoyne waited till the dusk of the evening, and then embarked along with Ole Thorwald; that stout individual having insisted on being one of the party, despite the remonstrances of Mr Mason, who did not like to leave the settlement, even for a brief period, so completely deprived of all its leading men. But Ole entertained a suspicion that Gascoyne intended to give them the slip; and having privately made up his mind to prevent this he was not to be denied.

The men who formed the crew--twelve in number--were selected from among those natives and settlers who were known never to have seen the pirate captain. They were chosen with a view to their fighting qualities, for Gascoyne and Henry were sufficient for the management of the little craft. There were no large guns on board, but all the men were well armed with cutla.s.ses, muskets, and pistols.

Thus equipped, the _Wasp_ stood out to sea with a light breeze, just as the moon rose on the coral reef and cast a shower of sparkling silver across the bay.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

A TERRIBLE DOOM FOR AN INNOCENT MAN.