“‘A recluse, I mean.’
“Dolosa smiled, and resumed his cigar.
“‘I feel sure,’ continued Brackenbury, ‘that we will be ransomed, but if not you wouldn’t hang us, would you? Eh, Count? No, no; I’m sure you wouldn’t. You’re much too good a fellow for that.’
“Dolosa laughed.
“‘Oh, no!’ he replied, ‘of course not. You wouldn’t hang me at the yard-arm if you had me on the Adelaide, eh, captain? No, no; I’m sure you wouldn’t. You’re much too good a fellow for that.’
“‘Ah, my friends,’ he added, ‘business is business. Now if my fellows return from your ship to-morrow with an unsatisfactory answer, I shall cut off both your ears, captain, and send them; then your nose. That’s business. Have another cigar?’
“But poor Brackenbury was far too sick at heart to smoke any more.
“At bedtime that night two immensely tall negroes entered the room silently and stood waiting for orders.
“‘Why don’t you speak, eh?’ said Brackenbury.
“Both suddenly knelt in front of Brackenbury and opened great, red, cavernous mouths.