"Ay, my lord. Into the strong-room with him, men!" ordered the young Spaniard, stepping unsteadily forward.
As he did so the crucifix he wore, which the disorder in his dress exposed to view, flashed into the light once more. Morgan's eyes fastened upon it for the first time.
"By heaven, sir!" he shouted. "Where got ye that cross?"
"From his mother, noble captain," interrupted Hornigold, coming closer.
He had another card to play. He had waited for this moment, and he threw back his head with a long, bitter laugh. There was such sinister, such vicious mockery and meaning in his voice, with not the faintest note of merriment to relieve it, that his listeners looked aghast upon him.
"His mother?" cried Morgan. "Then this is——"
He paused. The assembled cavaliers, Mercedes, and Alvarado stood with bated breath waiting for the terrible boatswain's answer.
"The boy I took into Cuchillo when we were at Panama," said Hornigold in triumph.
"And my son!" cried the old buccaneer with malignant joy.
A great cry of repudiation and horror burst from the lips of Alvarado. The others stared with astonishment and incredulity written on their faces. Mercedes moved closer to her lover and strove to take his hand.