His captor did not come to him as far as he knew; but he had a suspicion that more than once the buccaneer had been watching from some point or another unknown to him. But one day a message was brought by Bart, who entered the gloomy chamber and in his short, half-surly way thus delivered himself-- "Orders from the skipper, sir." "Orders from your captain!" said Humphrey, flushing. "To say that he is waiting for your answer, sir." "My answer, man? I gave him my answer." "And that he can wait any time; but a message from you that you want to see him will bring him here." "There is no other answer," said Humphrey, coldly. "Better not say that," said Bart, after standing gazing at the prisoner for some time. "What do you mean?" cried Humphrey, haughtily. "Don't know. What am I to say to the captain?" "I have told you. There is no answer," said Humphrey, coldly, and he turned away, but lay listening intently, for it struck him that he had heard a rustle in the great stone corridor without, as if someone had been listening; but the thick carpet-like curtain fell, and he heard no more, only lay watching the faint rays of light which descended through the dense foliage of the trees, as some breeze waved them softly, far on high, and slightly relieved the prevailing gloom. Bart's visit had started a current of thought which was once more running strongly when Dinny entered with a basket of the delicious little grapes which grew wild in the sunny open parts of the mountain slopes. "There, sor," he said, "and all me own picking, except about half of them which Misthress Greenheys sint for ye. Will ye take a few bunches now?" "Dinny," said Humphrey in a low earnest voice, "have you thought of what I said to you?" "Faix, and which? what is it ye mane, sor?" "You know what I mean, man: about helping me to escape from here?" "About helping ye to eshcape, sor? Oh, it's that ye mane!" "Yes, man; will you help me?" "Will I help ye, sor? D'ye see these threes outside the windy yonder, which isn't a windy bekase it has no glass in it?" "Yes, yes, I see," cried Humphrey with all a sick man's petulance. "Well, they've got no fruit upon 'em, sor." "No, of course not. They are not of a fruit-bearing kind. What of that!" "Faix, an' if I helped ye to eshcape, captain, darlin', sure and one of 'em would be having fruit hanging to it before the day was out, and a moighty foine kind of pear it would be." CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. UNDER ANOTHER RULE. "You're to keep to your prison till further orders," said Bart one day as he entered the place. "Who says so!" cried Humphrey, angrily. "Lufftenant." "What! Mazzard?" "Yes, sir. His orders." "Curse Lieutenant Mazzard!" cried Humphrey. "Where is the captain!" No answer. "Is this so-called lieutenant master here!" "Tries to be," grumbled Bart. "The captain is away, then?" "Orders are, not to answer questions," said Bart, abruptly; and he left the chamber.