“The captain landed here; brought us the first news of the war which, you may judge, much astonished and grieved us. He proclaimed himself a Confederate privateer, sailing under letters of _marque_ from his government. He drank more brandy than was good for him, and went to sleep on the floor. In the afternoon his crew mutinied, deposed him from his command, put another man in his place and sailed without him.” “Good! Where did you say the fellow is now?” “On this island! in this house! He has been here ever since he was abandoned by his ship, of course. He is now ready to give himself up to you. You will treat him, I hope, as a prisoner of war.” “That, as it may be. I must see and question the fellow first,” said the captain of the _Xyphias_. Justin went out and returned, accompanied by Spear. The prisoner walked straight up to the captain of the _Xyphias_, whom he recognized by his uniform, saluted him, and said: “Sir, I am Captain Spear, of the Confederate ship _Sea Scourge_. I surrender myself to you, claiming the usage of a prisoner of war. If I had a sword I would hand it over; but I have none.” CHAPTER XXXIII. LEAVING THE ISLAND. The next day was a busy one to our islanders. Justin was engaged in packing up and sending off his stores of fresh provisions to the ship. And the jolly boat plied all day long between the ship and shore to transport them. Britomarte and Judith were employed in packing such clothing, books and household effects as they meant to take with them from the island. It had been determined, in solemn consultation between the three, that some of the live stock, some of the household furniture, and even some of the provisions—such as would be likely to keep for a length of time—should be left on the island, in case any other ship should be wrecked upon its rocks, or any other passengers cast away upon its desolate shores. In the fields they turned loose a few sheep and pigs and fowls. They would have left Crummie, the cow, too, but that Judith raised such a howl as never had been heard from her before, not even on the occasion of the shipwreck; and vowed that to leave Crummie behind would break her heart entirely. To comfort Judith, and, above all, to stop her deafening howls, Britomarte promised that Crummie should go. And Britomarte’s promise was her bond; and, moreover, her word was law. The day that our islanders spent in consulting, deciding and packing, the officers of the _Xyphias_ passed in preparing for a great feast to be held on board the ship in honor of their new acquaintances and in return for their hospitality. And on the second day our islanders were invited to partake of it. They went early, fared sumptuously, passed a very pleasant day, and returned late at night to their island home. The remaining days of the week were spent in repairing the injuries of the ship and transporting the stores from the island.