“And to make assurance doubly sure, each time a ship sailed for Spain parties of the prisoners were placed on board, transported to Europe and set at liberty. The buccaneers, however, had an almost uncanny faculty of getting together, even when widely separated, and ere long all the prisoners had met in France and were soon back in their old haunt at Tortuga ready for another foray. But they had had enough of Ogeron as a leader and joining Le Sieur Maintenon sailed for Trinidad which they sacked and ransomed for ten thousand pieces of eight and then set forth for the conquest of Caracas. Here, once more, they met defeat, for while they took the port of La Guaira they were ignominiously beaten back on the awful trail over the mountains to Caracas. Many were killed, more were made prisoners and only a handful of survivors escaped and returned, broken and penniless, to Tortuga.” “Well, I’m glad the Dons did beat them,” declared Fred. “Seems to me the buccaneers had it their own way too often.” “Yes, that is true,” assented Mr. Bickford, “but you must bear in mind that only the successes of the buccaneers were recorded as a general thing. No doubt they were defeated repeatedly and nothing said of the matter, and if the Spaniards’ story were told it might read very differently. Now that I have told you of Morgan, of the ruthless buccaneers, such as Portugues, L’Ollonois and their kind, let me tell you of the most remarkable expedition ever undertaken by the buccaneers; a trip without a parallel in history and which, for sheer daredevil bravery, indomitable courage, splendid seamanship and wonderful adventures is worthy of a place in the history of the greatest navigators and discoverers of the world. Moreover, this ‘most dangerous voyage,’ as the buccaneer historian calls it, was of real value to the world, as it resulted in scientific discoveries and data, in geographical knowledge and facts about the Indians which otherwise might never have been recorded.” “It seems funny to think of buccaneers being interested in science or geography or such things,” said Jack, as his father searched through a volume for the chapter he desired. “How did it happen, Dad?”