Conway--been carried off by a French privateer, and
taken to a pirate island, and done all sorts of things."
"The 'all sorts of things' did not amount to much, Miss Regan. I made
myself as useful as I could, and picked up French; and at last when
the privateer sailed away I walked down to the shore and met our
sailors when they landed. There was, I can assure you, nothing in any
way heroic about the part I had to play."
"Still it was an adventure."
"Oh! yes, it was that; and upon the whole I think I liked it, except
when there was a chance of having a fight with our own people."
"That would have been dreadful. What would you have done?"
"Well, I certainly wouldn't have fought; but what I should have done
would, I suppose, have depended upon circumstances. I suppose I should
have jumped overboard if I had the chance."
"And is it true what Captain O'Connor was saying, that you had to do
like the other pirates on the island?"
"I don't know that there was anything particular they did, except to
get drunk, and I didn't do that."
"He hinted that the rule was that each man had to take a wife from the
people they captured."
"What nonsense!" Ralph exclaimed indignantly. "The idea of my taking a
wife. You mustn't believe what Captain O'Connor says, Miss Regan;
except, of course," he added slyly, "when he is saying pretty things
to you.
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