The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-12

with him across the water at that other ship.
 Tn less than half-an-hour," said Blood presently, i've shall have her athwart our hawse, sweeping our decks with her guns"
 "We can fight" said the one-eyed giant with an oath.
 Fight" sneered Blood. Under manned as we are, mastering a bare twenty men, in what case are we to fight? No, there would be only one way. To persuade her that all is well aboard, that we are Spaniards, so that she may leave us to continue on our course"
 Ogle, with bent for sarcasm, in- terpOsed a suggestion bitterly.
 We might send Don. Diego de Es- pinosa in boat manned by his Span iards to assure his brother the Admiral that we yare all loyal subjects of his Catholic Majesty
 "Bedad! we've said it. He doesn't fear death, this damned pirate; but his son may take different view. Filial piety's mighty strong in Spain." He swung on his heel abruptly, and strode back to the knot of men about his prisoner. Here !' he shouted to them. Bring him below"
 In the ward-room the three stern chasers were in position, loaded, their muzzles thrusting through the open ports, precisely as the Spanish gun ners had left them.
 Here, Ogle, is work for you" said Blood, and as the burly gunner came thrusting forward through the throng of gaping men, Blood pointed to the middle chaser: Have that gun hauled back" he ordered.
 When this was done, Blood beckoned those who held Don Diego.
 Lash him across the mouth of it. he bade them, and whilst, assisted by another two, they made haste to obey, he turned to the others. "To the round- house, some of you, and fetch the Span and bid them set the flag of Spain aloft."
 Don Diego, with his body stretched in an arc across the cannon's mouth, legs and arms dashed to the carriage on either side of it, eyeballs rolling in his head, glared maniacally at Captain Blood. A man may not fear to die, and yet be appalled, by the form in which death comes to him.
 Captain Blood, vouchsafed him a malignant smile, before he turned to meet the fifteen manacled Spanish pris- oners. From amongst them comedy, olive-skinned stripling, distinguished in bearing and apparel from his compan- ions, started forward with an anguished cry of "Fatherr'
 Writhing in the arms that made haste to seize and hold him, he called upon heaven and hell, to avert this hor- TOT, and lastly, addressed to Captain Blood an appeal for mercy that was at once fierce and piteous.
 Recovering the cynicism in which he had approached his task, the cyni- cism essential to its proper perform ance, Blood commanded Ogle to kindle a match and remove the leaden apron from the touchhole of the gun that bore Don Diego. Then, as the younger Es- pinosa broke into intercessions mingled with imprecautions, he whirled upon him sharply.
 "Peace!" he snapped. "It is your fathers treachery that has brought us into this plight and deliberately into risk of capture and death aboard that ship of Spain. Just as your father recognized his brothers flagship, jso will his brother have recognized the Cinco Llagas. So far, then, all is well. But presently the Encarnacion will be sufficiently close to perceive that here all is not as it should be. Sooner or later, she must guess or discover what is wrong, and then she will open fire or lay us board and board. Under stand this clearly: to the first shot