“Why, yes——”
“It is too bad to take that privilege from you, old man, but I really wish you would say nothing whatever about it, and that you would caution your wife and guests to observe the same silence. I will only hold you to that for to-night. To-morrow you can tell the whole world about it if you like.”
“But why so mighty secret about it to-night, Nick?”
“Because, Max, I expect that the pirate will make another call on the fleet to-night. It would be a splendid time for him to come; and if he happens to have any idea of putting in an appearance, I would rather not have the whole bunch of owners and their friends rush to their vessels from the club-house, after hearing your story, just in time to spoil the pirate’s plans. I would rather he’d have the coast clear for to-night, if he does intend to come, and if you yapped about the business the scene might be spoiled.”
CHAPTER VI.
CAPTAIN SPARKLE’S SECOND VICTIM.
“Max,” said Nick, after a pause, during which he had been watching the maneuvers of the Harkaway as she came to her buoy on the anchorage, “I have not asked the question before, because I thought there was no need; but have you ever heard the suggestion that there was a pirate in this part of the world, before you met with your own experience?”
“Never.”
“It is a pretty sure thing, isn’t it, that if somebody else had run afoul of him as you did, you would have heard of it?”