“About that time, too, a United States cruiser was attacked by unknown corsairs in the Gulf and looted of an enormous sum in bullion and this was laid to the Lafittes. As a result, the Galveston settlement was attacked and destroyed, but no signs of the famous Lafittes were found. Perhaps they had never been there, perhaps they managed to escape. They completely disappeared and where they passed the remainder of their lives, where they died has never been discovered. Once it was reported, that they had sailed to the Argentine and had entered the service of the Buenos Ayres government. Again it was stated that they had established a pirate lair in Yucatan. There were stories of their having settled on Ruatan Island off Honduras, where they conducted wrecking and piratical undertakings, but definite news, actual proofs, were never forthcoming. “We can scarcely believe that men who had proved their patriotism and their valor, men who had shown their honor and their loyalty as had the Lafittes, would countenance an attack upon a United States ship. It does not seem like them to have degenerated into rascally cut-throats and wreckers. To my mind, it is far more probable that they returned to their beloved France or settled down under new names in some quiet tropical land and there passed the remainder of their lives like the accomplished gentlemen they were. No one will ever know. We can only surmise. But with the passing of these romantic, picturesque brothers went the last of the more famous pirates. And—as I said before—there was nothing to prove that they were pirates after all.” “Golly, I never knew the buccaneers and pirates were so interesting,” declared Fred, as Mr. Bickford ceased speaking. “I always loved to read stories about them, but they’re a lot more interesting than the stories.” “Yes,” agreed his uncle. “It’s a splendid example of the truth of the time-worn saying that ‘truth is stranger than fiction.’ And did you ever stop to think, boys, that if it hadn’t been for the buccaneers there might not—probably would not—have been any United States?” “Why, no!” cried Jack. “How could that be?” demanded Fred.