No, lad, he's not on the Isle of St.Mary's; he's away off, a hermit, on the Isle of Juan Fernandez--the more's the pity; come." In the porch they encountered the two officers.

Paul briefly informed them of the circumstances, saying, nothing remained but to depart forthwith.
"With nothing at all for our pains ?" murmured the two officers.
"What, pray, would you have ?" "Some pillage, to be sure--plate." "Shame.

I thought we were three gentlemen." "So are the English officers in America; but they help themselves to plate whenever they can get it from the private houses of the enemy." "Come, now, don't be slanderous," said Paul; "these officers you speak of are but one or two out of twenty, mere burglars and light-fingered gentry, using the king's livery but as a disguise to their nefarious trade.

The rest are men of honor." "Captain Paul Jones," responded the two, "we have not come on this expedition in much expectation of regular pay; but we _did_ rely upon honorable plunder." "Honorable plunder! That's something new." But the officers were not to be turned aside.

They were the most efficient in the ship.