"I wish I had killed him," flashed out Jadby viciously.
"I quite believe that; but you did not harm him in the least," retorted Prelice, lying bravely to defend Ned, and to annoy the captain.
"I wounded him in the arm," snarled Jadby. "Didn't I, Marie?"
"I certainly saw that Mr. Shepworth was slightly hurt," replied the fortune-teller; "in a trance, of course."
"Ah!" replied Prelice negligently, "your trances are not always reliable, Madame."
"I think you have found that one is, at least," she replied in her turn, and very significantly.
"What does Captain Jadby think?" asked Prelice genially. He felt sure that the woman had not dared to risk the buccaneer's rage by explaining what she had said.
"Madame Marie told me that she went into a trance on your account," said Jadby, taking a chair, sullenly, "but, of course, she did not remember what she said, and could not explain to me."
"Since Madame is certain that this especial trance is reliable," was Prelice's retort, "she must remember something."
"Oh, the deuce take your chatter," shouted Horace ruffling his shaggy red hair, in a high state of irritation. "I didn't ask you here to waste my time in drivel."