“‘You at least have that appearance—all save your costume,’ I said to him; but he paid no attention to that remark.
“‘My men will now make the collection,’ he continued; ‘and I wish to assure you that nobody will be molested unless resistance is offered, in which case I shall not hesitate to shed blood if necessary.’
“‘Well,’ I said, ‘since you seem to have the drop on me, go ahead.’
“He ordered my men aft, under the awning, after asking me if there were others below anywhere, and being assured that I was alone, save for my crew. Then two of his men stood guard over us while the others did the looting. And say, they did it to the queen’s taste, too. I haven’t got a thing left aboard which would pawn for a twenty-dollar note, so help me!
“They carted the things to the deck in sacks, and sheets, and pillow-cases, and any old thing they could discover to put them in, and they took all the silver I had, all my prize cups, half a dozen cases of that old port which I consider priceless, and, in fact, everything they could lay their hands on. Then, before they went away, one of the men lifted my watch, my pin, about seven hundred in cash which I happened to have about me, and even my links. Now, what do you think of that?”
“What next?”
“What next! What do you want next? Isn’t that enough? There wasn’t any ‘next,’ save that Captain Sparkle went aboard of his own craft, following his men, disappeared below, pulled down the turret covers after him, and sped away like a shot out of a gun. Say, Kane, that Shadow is the fastest thing I ever saw. She could go around me twice in ten miles, and I’m not taking any dust off the ocean from anybody around here, as you know. Well, that’s my story. I thought I’d take a flier over here and tell the boys about it. Just fancy! A pirate! In Long Island Sound! In the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and six! Who would believe it? Eh?”