"
"Yes, indeed. It is the cursed glare of the sun on the white streets of
Basseterre which has gone far to burn them out."
"I had heard also that you had been plagued by a quartan ague."
"Yes; I have had a pyrexy, which has reduced me much."
"We had set aside a cabin for your surgeon."
"Ah, the rascal! There was no budging him, for he has a snug business
amongst the merchants. But hark!" He raised his ring-covered band in
the air. From far astern there came the low, deep thunder of cannon.
"It is from the island!" cried the captain in astonishment. "Can it be
a signal for us to put back?"
The Governor laughed. "You have heard that Sharkey, the pirate, is to
be hanged this morning. I ordered the batteries to salute when the
rascal was kicking his last, so that I might know of it out at sea.
There's an end of Sharkey!"
"There's an end of Sharkey!" cried the captain; and the crew took up the
cry as they gathered in little knots upon the deck and stared back at
the low, purple line of the vanishing land.
It was a cheering omen for their start across the Western Ocean, and the
invalid Governor found himself a popular man on board, for it was
generally understood that but for his insistence upon an immediate trial
and sentence, the villain might have played upon some more venal judge
and so escaped.
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