The Mena weekly star., 1919-07-17
tsontinued From Previous Issue.)
oOp,rssst by 4. Q. McCiarE & Go.


 teeth gleamed savagely. T would spit on this Manuel who seeks to be chiet ] can never be-no; 1 am of black skin. with negro blood in my veins and white men would never have it SO But l can hate, senor. That is why | am with you now, if the devil so will. Your plan might work-tell me more of it"
 "What are the odds, say you-thirty to a hundred? Ay, but surprise will overcome that. My plan is this: First to secure Manuel as quietly as pos sible but at whatever cost. With him in our hands, or dead, the buccaneers have no leader. What then? There are men in the crew on deck and in the forecastle to be trusted-Watkins is one, and he will know others, a dozen DO doubt. They will be enough. We will whisper the truth to these. and have them ready for signal. The forward door from amidships is closed by iron bars--is it not?'
 -Si, senor" his eyes again sparkling with interest. "The men quarreIed, and there was fighting"
 "Then there is no escape in that di- rection and it can be no great task 10 close any passage leading aft. Lower the deck hatch and we have those devils below caged like so many rats. There need be no fighting; star vation will bring them to terms"
 "But, senor, your dozen men cannot guard the buccaneers below and also manage the bark. The crew are not all lambs-many will sympathize with those thus locked beneath deck. Co., chose Is bad, and friend of Manuel. He will fight, and there are others to back him."
 q know that, LeVere. The whole plan is desperate, but there is no other possible. Here is my scheme. There is a gun rack in the cabin to arm the dozen men we can trust. The others have nothing but their sheath knives. The buccaneers can be secured below before these other lads ever realize what is happening As soon as we have control of the ship we'll round them up forward. They won't dare face the guns. I'll give them their choice"
 And what will you tell them. se- nor?"
 l caught my breath, conscious of hls meaning. My secret hope could not be revealed to this fellow. The answer came quickly to my lips.
 "The whole truth, Senor LeVere-. that Manuel conspired to seize the bark through mutiny of the bucca- neers; that these were to be turned loose with license to kill anyone on board who opposed them; that their real purpose was to divide among themselves all the treasure below. then wreck the vessel and escape with it That to this end Estada had al- ready been murdered I shall explain that we discovered this conspiracy just in time to save them from but chery, and they must stand by us or else submit to those hell-hounds."
 And after that. senor?'
 Why, Porto Grande, of course," | admitted heartily. The men will un- derstand what that means--a handful of gold for each of them and run ashore. Why, LeVere, they will make more apiece than by footing a half dozen ships, and with no fighting. It will be a fortune for you and me"
 His somber eyes lighted up, startled by this new idea. and he sprang to his feet.
 You mean that, senorl We divide what is below and sail for Porto Grande? hear you right? You not mean surrender? You stay pirate7
 l laughed. my nerves tingling to the success of my ruse-he had taken the tempting bait like hungry fish.
 Why, of course. l am not such a Iool as to throw away this chance. This is our chance. LeVere. If we put the Namur into Porto Grande. with sanchez on board and alive, and those nelihounds locked below. we'll get any tning We ask for. We'll be the cocks or the walk. If he shouldn't live through, why then we'll have a ship, ana can run the game alone. Either way, If we win, the prize is ours--and II we stick together we win"
 My apparent enthusiasm caught the fellow. could read the working of ms mind in his face This new view or the situation promised wealth, power, the total defeat of Estevan i; everything he most desired.
 You think Senor Sanchez live?n
 what difference? If he lives he owes his life to us. If he dies the bark IS Tn our hands, and the treasure. once we have won we care nothing n ne live or die. Are we together in this?"
 He thrust out lean yellow hand, and l gripped it.
 Si, senor; I am with you.'
 You pledge your word Francois?"
 II pledge it. senor."
 Good And you have mine. Now ~ "ork-first Manuel Estevan, and then the men on deck.s
 CHAPTER XIX.