Anthony looked up. A small man, dark of skin, and in a red mob-cap, leaned over the rail amidships and eyed him with disapproval. [Illustration: "A SMALL MAN ... LEANED OVER THE RAIL AMIDSHIPS, AND EYED HIM WITH DISAPPROVAL."] "To come aboard," said Anthony. There were some steps let down from the schooner's side, and he quietly climbed them. The small man met him at the rail and put out a protesting hand. "It is forbidden!" said he. "This is the French republican ship _Le Mousquet_, and not a merchantman." Anthony put the hand aside. "I desire to see the captain," he said. "The citizen captain is at breakfast in his cabin," said the small man. "He will see no one." But Anthony was knocking at the cabin-door in another moment. "Enter," said a voice. Anthony went in, and there he found the man with the patch over his eye engaged in pouring chocolate from a pot into a silver cup. Surprised, the man put down the pot; then he smirked at Anthony, collected enough, and said: "Ah! so it is you! I have heard news of you and your ship. You are a man of purpose, sir. Allow me to congratulate you." "Citizen," said the small man, putting his head in at the cabin, "it was against my directions that you are intruded upon." "It is no matter," said the captain. "The gentleman will be going in another moment." He took up the silver cup and sipped the chocolate. "To what, sir, do I owe this visit?" Anthony kicked aside the little table which sat before the one-eyed man, and the things it held crashed to the floor. Alertly the small man seized him. "My friend," said Anthony tolerantly. "I have no business with you, and less desire to do you harm. So go outside like a decent fellow." He threw the little man from the cabin, and shut and locked the door; and as he turned about he saw the schooner's master taking a pistol from the cupboard. The pistol exploded as the cudgel struck it; and the bullet tore through the housing. Then Anthony gathered the man's neck-cloth in his grip and beat him until his knees grew limp and the blood ran from him; then he dropped him upon the floor and went upon the deck. The small man was there; and with him were the black ship's cook and a boy who had round, surprised eyes and held a cutlass as probably one had never been held before. Anthony smiled as he looked at them. "Citizens of the republican ship _Le Mousquet_," said he, "I have every sympathy with your cause and great respect for your vessel. But your captain had earned a beating at my hands, and has received it. You'll find him inside there, looking a deal worse than he actually is. A little water thrown upon him will be all he'll need; but you'd do well to get that at once. And so: good day to you!" Then he went down the steps at the schooner's side and trudged away toward the spot on the river-bank where he could see his sleigh awaiting him.