346 TEAVEL, ADVENTUKE, AND SPORT. 



" Sensibly spoken for once," said the pirate. 



" My brother is hangry," said the Miko, pointing 

 to his daughter, who now entered the room with 

 several dishes. 



" We'll come directly. Duty before pleasure." 



And so saying, the buccaneer hurried down to the 

 shore, and approached his companion, a short square- 

 built man, who was walking up and down with fold- 

 ed arms, and Avhose dark olive countenance was so 

 buried in an enormous beard, that scarcely any part 

 of it except a long fiery Bardolphian nose was vis- 

 ible. This man, so soon as he saw the pirate, as- 

 sumed a less nonchalant attitude, and his hands fell 

 by his side into the position proper to a subordinate, 



" Nothing happened, lieutenant ? " said Lafitte. 



" So little that I should almost doubt this . to be 

 the Miko's village, did not my eyes convince me of 

 it. Beg pardon, captain, but what does it all 

 mean 1 " 



" I might ask you the same question," replied the 

 other, sulkily. 



" On our former visits," continued the lieutenant, 

 " it was like a fair ; but to-day not a creature comes 

 near us. The squaws and girls seemed inclined to 

 come down, but the men prevented them." 



The lieutenant paused, for his commanding officer 

 was evidently getting more and more out of humour. 



" How many hands have we below on Lake 

 Sabine 1 " 



