“I would execute him now and here! for he deserves instant death!” cried the young man, tightening his grasp until the pirate grew black in the face. “Justin! Justin! spare him! not for his sake, but for your own honor! He is too much intoxicated to defend himself. He is helpless as a child in your grasp! For your own honor, Justin! curb your just rage and spare a defenseless man!” pleaded Britomarte, clinging to her lover. “I will obey you, my queen! I will spare the miscreant, though he does not deserve to be spared, never having spared others!” replied Justin, hurling from him the form of the pirate, who fell heavily, striking his head upon the stone floor. “Oh, Justin! I fear that he is already dead!” exclaimed Britomarte, approaching the motionless form of the pirate, who, from the united effects of drunkenness, suffocation, and concussion, was now quite insensible. “He is dead drunk, that is all,” replied Justin, turning the body half over with his foot and then leaving it. He went to the entrance of the cavern and looked out. The men that had been grouped before the door were nowhere in sight; but Judith was walking about gathering up crusts and bones and other litter left by them on the ground. Justin beckoned her to approach, and she came. “What are you doing, Judith?” he inquired, in a low voice. “Claning up the yard afther the saymen, sure. Troth, they’re as dirthy as pigs at their males, so they are.” “Where have they gone, Judith?” “Divil a bit iv me knows! They took up the keg iv whisky ye gave them, so they did, and walked off wid it before me two looking eyes. Meself thinks they have carried it down to the boat, and are stealing it off to the ship unbeknownst to the captain! Sure I called to them to stop; but they told me ye gave them the whisky itself, which I couldn’t contradict.” “I am glad they are gone, Judith; but I suppose they will come back here presently for their captain. Come in here, Judith, a moment; I wish to speak with you,” said Justin, gravely. Judith came into the grotto, wondering. But when she saw the insensible form of the pirate captain, she exclaimed: “Lorrud kape us! I thought how it would be! Sure he’s afther dhrinking a whole bottle iv that strong old brandy, and has fallen down dead dhrunk, so he has. Sure, sir, where will we drag him away to?” “Nowhere, Judith! he must remain just where he is until his men return to take him! But draw near and listen to me. This man is not a Confederate officer, nor is his ship a Confederate privateer. Neither would be acknowledged by the Confederate States. The Southern people would not tolerate piracy. This man has taken advantage of civil war to become a pirate. You have heard and read enough to be able to know and dread the lawlessness and cruelty of these pirates——” “Pirates! Lord betune us from harrm, are they pirates?” exclaimed Judith, opening her mouth and eyes and suspending her breath.