"From any one likely to do him harm," said the captain, sternly. "You understand?" "Yes. I'm going," replied Bart, in a low growl, as he gazed in his leader's eyes; and then, with a curious, thoughtful look in his own, he went out of the captain's quarters and in the direction of the prison of the king's officer. Bart had to go down the broad steps of an extensive, open amphitheatre, whose stones were dislodged by the redundant growth of the forest; and, after crossing the vast court-yard at the bottom, to mount the steps on the other side toward where, dominating a broad terrace overshadowed by trees, stood a small, square temple, over whose doorway was carved a huge, demoniacal head, defaced by the action of time, but with the features still clearly marked. As Bart neared the building a figure appeared in the doorway for a moment, and then passed out into the sunshine. "Hullo, my lad!" it exclaimed. "You there?" Bart nodded. "Been putting in the last six barr'ls of the sloop's powder, and some of these days you'll see the sun'll set it all alight, and blow the whole place to smithereens! Where are ye going?" "Yonder, to the prisoners." "Poor divils!" said Dinny. "Hadn't ye better kill the lot and put 'em out of their misery? They must be tired of it, and so am I. Faix, and it's a dirthy life for a man to lead!" "Don't let the skipper hear you say that, my lad," growled Bart, "or it may be awkward for you!" "I'll let annybody hear me!" cried Dinny. "Sure, an' it's the life of a baste to lead, and a man like that Black Mazzard bullying and finding fault. I'd have sent one of the powdher-kegs at his head this morning for the binifit of everybody here, only I might have blown myself up as well." "Has he been swearing at you again!" "Swearing! Bedad, Bart, he said things to me this morning as scorched the leaves of the threes yonder. If you go and look you can see 'em all crickled up. He can swear!" Bart slouched away. "It's a divil of a place!" muttered Dinny; "and it would make a wondherful stone-quarry; but I'm getting sick of it, and feeling as if I should like to desart. Black Mazzard again!" he muttered, drawing in his breath sharply. "I wish his greatest inimy would break his neck!" Dinny walked sharply away, for the lieutenant seemed to have been gathering authority since the taking of the sloop, and lost no opportunity of showing it to all the crew. Meanwhile, Bart had continued his way between the two piles of ruins, his path leading from the dazzling glow of the tropic sunshine into the subdued green twilight of the forest.