When Pierre set out along Broad Street, I returned to my seat in the ordinary where I intended to resume my watch till his return. My absence, I thought, had not been noticed by the sailors. I settled myself quietly, well satisfied with the way things were going. Nothing, however, was further from my intention than my proposal to arrest these men. In fact, I intended to outwit the rattle-watch, notwithstanding the fact that I had summoned it. By the time Pierre returned all out of breath to announce the approach of the watch, the clock had crept round to half past eight. The officers of the watch, Pierre informed me, were not more than the space of two streets away. I rose instantly and approached the sailors. “May I speak to you a moment?” I said in feigned excitement to him who seemed to be their leader. He arose, rather fearful, as if he shared my assumed alarm, and stepped with me towards the corner of the room. I said to him: “You come from the ship that anchored in the lower bay yesterday?” “Who told you?” he blurted out. Then, seeing that he had made a mistake, he blundered still further in his attempt to contradict himself. “No, by God, we don’t!” “I thought so,” I answered, for his manner said “Yes,” though his words said “No.” I continued: “Is it a free-trader?” The fellow turned white, his lips quivered, and his hand sought the butt of his pistol. “Softly, friend, you have no enemy to deal with,” I said. “I have been in the jolly trade myself. Look at this.” I threw open my blouse part way and gave him a glimpse of one of the richly mounted pistols that Captain Tew had presented to me. “Have you ever seen that name before?” His eyes gleamed recognition as he read the buccaneer’s name engraved in big letters on the hilt. “Ay, we sighted him two days ago.” “Quite true. Bound for Martinique. I thought you would know the name. Now will you trust me? You have been suspected and even now the city officers are almost here to arrest you and your companions.” At that moment the shrill rattle of the watchman’s whistle sounded from the street outside. The person who blew it may have meant to give them some chance to escape, for the free-booters were prime favorites with all who were not strictly addicted to honorable practices. However good the guard’s intention might be, I was not willing to allow my new acquaintances to profit by it. I was bound to have for myself the credit of saving the buccaneers. Their gratitude might be of service to me. “Hurry,” I said. “We must barricade this corner of the room.”