Being a young man, he had shut his eyes at the end of it, but when the pirate had left he came forth quietly.

The fight raged forward, and here he was alone with the fallen figure on the deck.
As Dickory stood gazing downward in awe--in all his life he had never seen a corpse--the man he had supposed dead opened his eyes for a moment and gazed with dull intelligence, and then he gasped for rum.

Dickory was quickly beside him with a tumbler of spirits and water, which, raising the fallen man's head, he gave him.

In a few moments the eyes of Captain Vince opened wider, and he stared at the young man in naval uniform who stood above him.

"Who are you ?" he said in a low voice, but distinct, "an English officer ?" "No," said Dickory, "I am no officer and no pirate; I am forced to wear these clothes." And then, his natural and selfish instincts pushing themselves before anything else, Dickory went on: "Oh, sir, if your men conquer these pirates will you take me--" but as he spoke he saw that the wounded man was not listening to him; his half-closed eyes turned towards him and he whispered: "More spirits!" [Illustration: "Take that," he feebly said, "and swear that it shall be delivered."] Dickory dashed into the cabin, half-filled a tumbler with rum and gave it to Vince.