“Then you are not really what you reported yourself to be?”
“What exactly did I report myself to be—Captain Kidd?” laughed the man.
“A pirate! throat-cutter! ship-burner!”
“Ha, ha, ha! Rebel I am, since you dub as such the commanders of all Confederate privateers. But I never cut a throat or burned a ship in my life! I never harmed a woman or child in my life, or man either, for that matter, except in fair fight!”
“I am glad to hear you say so. I hope you will be able to convince Captain Yetsom of the truth of your statement. You had better surrender to him as soon as he arrives. I will give you an opportunity of doing so in the parlor! After you have made your case clear to the captain, I shall be glad to have you join us at dinner. There is my wardrobe—a limited one, indeed—at your disposal. All that can be expected of us Crusoes is cleanliness. We have none of us swallow-tailed coats or kid gloves to go to dinner in,” laughed Justin.
“Thank you; they would be an inconvenience if we had them, especially the kid gloves. Do you know when the ship sails again?”
“In three or four days. She is anchored here for repairs of injuries received in the late gale.”
“And your party goes with her, of course?”
“Yes. We shouldn’t like to stay here and chance the coming of another ship.”
“Whither goes she?”