Serena.—"They are shocking people."
Mother.—"Well, I must try Jenny, for you did only tell us what we guessed before."
Jenny.—"Oh, Ma'am, they are such a wicked lot!"
Finding we could not get any news out of them, we waited until they had sufficiently relieved their feelings by abusing them, and then gleaned the following information by fits and starts. To use Schillie's words they were audibly and horribly elated at having captured such notable prisoners. Also they were questioned very much about themselves, and Schillie's friend, the King of the Pirates, asked if they belonged to a party of ladies and children supposed to be lost in a yacht about two years ago. To this she replied in the affirmative, hoping to hear news from home. Then they told her that many people were employed in the search after them, and that very large rewards were offered to any one who could give information. "Then," said Schillie, "if you take us all home you shall receive rewards beyond your greatest wishes."
This conversation was held in French. He went and retailed it to his companions in Spanish, not deeming that Serena understood them. They then had a dispute amongst themselves as to whether they would retain possession of the prisoners or claim the promised reward. The dispute ran so high that they all agreed to defer it till they got to sea, having too much to do to waste the time at present. When Serena interpreted this to Schillie she was wrath beyond expression, and vowed she would jump overboard and be swallowed by a shark ere she went to sea and leave it undecided as to what their future fate must be. Then the captain asked her where all the others were? And in a fit of disgust and horror she said to him he should not take her from the island unless it was to restore them to their friends. Giving her a ferocious look he said her fate should be decided according as she behaved, and they were in no particular want of money at present, having been very successful in their late excursion. He also told her that they had been on the look out for us a long time, and wanted to know if we had not great riches, plate, and diamonds with us; he, in fact, asked so many questions, we could not but perceive they knew a great deal about us. Finding Schillie grew more and more reserved and angry, he separated the three, and proceeded to question them. Jenny declared point blank, as well as she could by signs, that all the rest of us were dead! and only those three left. Serena pretended not to understand, and fell into such hysterical tears at being separated from Schillie, that after awhile they restored them together.
"Well, Schillie," said I, "I don't think I should have objected to go with them so much, for they are generally such needy people these pirates that money would surely have tempted them to give you up."
Schillie.—"Brutes!"
Mother.—"And then you could have made arrangements to come for us."
Schillie.—"Villains!"
Mother.—"Now do be rational, why don't you listen to what I say, instead of vituperating in this manner?"