"
"That will be some consolation," the other laughed; "but I would give
my share of it if I could but have come up with and engaged those
rascally craft I have been hunting all over the islands for these last
two years. Whom have we got here--two prisoners?"
"Well, I hardly know whether they can be called prisoners. One is an
English lad who was in a boat they run down in the channel, and who, I
dare say, they were glad to get rid of. It seems that he is a
gentleman's son, and his story is clear enough. The other belongs to
the brig I chased, which it seems only arrived here two days ago. The
young fellow says that he has been particularly kind to him, and has
begged me to regard him in the light of a castaway sailor, seeing that
he was found here unarmed and away from his ship. I think there is
something in his plea; and as there is no credit or glory to be
obtained from handing over one prisoner, I consider that under the
circumstances we shall be justified in letting him go ashore quietly
and in saying nothing about it. At one time the man was a prisoner of
war in England and has picked up our language, so I dare say he will
be able to manage to find his way home without difficulty."
"What are you thinking of doing with all this stuff?" Captain Chambers
asked, pointing to the storehouses.
"I think we had better take it away with us.
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