"My dear Master Simpson, one must always remember that there's such a thing as chivalry left even in these seas of the New World."
"I know note about chivalry, young feller, but I'm thinking that 'appen we've some of yon beggar's brass in this vessil we're running off with, an' that's what makes 'im mad. I tell tha', Captain, it's brass i' the end that makes all the wars and the fighting in this New World, just the same as it is i' t' Old. There's men gives it other names; some says they fights for religion, and some for drink; but reckon it out right to t' bottom, and tha'll find it's t' brass an' note else."
"You're a philosopher, it seems, amongst your other attractions," said Rupert, smiling. "But at present we must give these nicer matters holiday. Here we are, with a fat ship, and the business of carrying her away in safety; and I want very much to do that without giving toll to either Captain Wick or Captain Watkin. Let them go in and sack Coro, as arranged; these Spanish towns are the proper banks for the buccaneers to draw upon. There's plenty of pickings left for them. But for myself, I'm mightily anxious to carry away without further debate what I've so honestly and hardly earned."
They watched the galley furiously rowed towards the harbour with red flags of flames trailing from her stern; they saw the black dots which represented her people scramble over the side; and presently they laughed as they saw flames sprout from other shipping in the harbour which blazing matter from the galley had set alight. And they felt a very pleasant glow of satisfaction as they watched. From then onwards, until two days were passed, all the brain in the carrack was employed till she was clear of possible danger, and not until then did Rupert formally thank the secretary for capturing the black-avised Inquisitor.
"If I had not settled my score with that man," said Rupert, "I could not have slept easy. But as it is, I think the adventure has very satisfactorily ended. My lad, when the time comes, I will commend you very highly to his Majesty the King at The Hague."
CHAPTER VIII
THE REGAINING OF THE FLEET
Now during all these weary adventurous weeks in which he had been wandering about the Caribbean, more like a humble knight-errant of old than a modern prince of birth, Rupert had never forgotten that he had pawned the King's fleet to that detestable person, Monsieur D'Ogeron, the Governor of Tortuga. On what employ it had been used, no rumour had reached him. But the period for which it had been pawned was near to run out, and Rupert was anxious to resume command on the first day it was due to be surrendered to him.
The voyage back from Coro in the newly captured carrack could not be direct for many reasons. In the first place there was plunder from his other ventures to be collected, and this, after the buccaneer fashion, Rupert had buried in spots known to himself alone, and in the second place, in the hurry of cutting out the carrack from La Vela harbour, no one had troubled to notice that she was not victualled. They had been keen enough to note the treasure and the rich merchandise which trimmed her so desirably low in the water, but it was not found that she lacked the necessary vulgar details of grain and dried meat, of wood and water, till she was well at sea, and these were not to be had for the mere asking. Consequently the crew were well-nigh starving before it was found possible to put into a river which supplied fish for an immediate meal, and offered savannahs on which the hunters shot deer meat to take them further.