"Senorita, with all regret, I must agree."
"Miss Virginia Harding," said Miss Browne with all her old
severity, rejuvenated apparently by this opportunity to put me in
my place, "would do well to consult her dictionary, before applying
opprobrious terms to persons of respectability. A pirate is one
who commits robbery upon the high seas. If such a crime lies at
the door of any member of this expedition I am unaware of it."
"What's in a name?" remarked Dugald Shaw, shrugging. "We were
after other people's property, anyway. I am very sorry about it,
Senor Gonzales, but I would like to ask, if you don't mind telling,
how you happened to learn of our being here, so long as it was not
through the authentic channels. On general principles, I tried to
keep the matter quiet."
"We learned in a manner somewhat--what do you say?--curious,"
returned the Spaniard, who, having presented the men with cigars
and by permission lighted one himself, was making himself extremely
at home and appeared to have no immediate intention of haling us
away to captivity in Santa Marinan dungeons. "But before I go
further, kindly tell me whether you have had any--ah--visitors
during your stay on the island?"
"We have," Mr. Shaw replied, "very troublesome ones."
The Spaniard smiled.
"Then answer your own question. These men, while unloading a
contraband cargo in a port of Mexico near the southern border, grew
too merry in a wineshop, and let it be known where they were bound
when again they put to sea.
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