392 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



profiting by their absence, Benito and four of the 

 pirates, Mexican Spaniards, contrived the escape of 

 a prisoner whom they believe to be Pompey. In 

 the darkness they mistook their man, and brought 

 away Hodges, who was confined in the same building. 

 This occurred at midnight. The meeting, which 

 absorbed the attention of the militia, was not yet 

 over, when the four pirates, Benito, and the rescued 

 prisoner, arrived at the junction of the creek and the 

 Mississippi, and, unmooring a boat, prepare to embark. 



At this moment a second boat became visible, 

 gliding gently down the bayou towards the stream. 



" Que diablo f " muttered the Mexicans. " What 

 is that 1 " 



The boat drew near ; a man was in it. 



" Who is that 1 " whispered the pirates, and then 

 one of them sprang suddenly into the strange skiff, 

 whence the clanking of chains was heard to proceed. 

 The Mexican stared the unwelcome witness hard in 

 the face. 



" Ah, Massa Miguel ! " cried the new-comer with 

 a grin. " Pompey not stop in jail. Pompey not 

 love the ninetaiL" 



" The devil ! " exclaimed the Mexican ; " it is 

 Pompey. Who is the other, then? We are seven 

 instead of six. What does all this mean 1 " 



" Santiago ! " cried the pirates. " Who is he 1 " 

 they whispered, surrounding the seventh, and, as it 

 seemed, superfluous member of their society. 



