"Yet," remarked the young man, "if they were to undertake, for instance, to capture a merchant vessel, I would die rather than give assistance in the commission of such a crime." "Of course," answered Ada, "but the `chapter of accidents' may make unnecessary your placing yourself in antagonism to the brig's crew on that question. We will hope so." "Have they ever really made such captures?" asked young Coe. "Many such," replied Ada. "They are pirates in the full meaning of the word." "In this business they must have committed murders," said John. "There is not a man in the brig, except yourself," answered Ada, "who is not responsible for the shedding of human blood." "Dear madam," said John, pityingly, "what a terrible life you must have led among such men." "I have often been able to save bloodshed," said Ada. "Most of the captures made by the _Falcon_ have been made without the taking of human life. When life has been taken it has been mostly in cases where a fight has followed a refusal on the part of a merchant vessel to surrender. I have never known a case where Captain Marston has allowed any one to be hurt after surrender. Indeed, I think at heart he is sick of the business in which he is engaged. Afton, however, and too many of the crew with him, appear to take pleasure in acts of cruelty." The conversation between Mrs Marston and young Coe here closed, and the latter returned upon deck. He expressed to the captain and the ship's company his acceptance provisionally of the post offered to him, it being understood that he reserved to himself the right to resign it whenever he thought proper to do so. Mr Afton loudly pronounced his maledictions against such "half-way" courses; and there were at first some dark scowls seen among the men. "I welcome you into our gallant service, Captain Coe," said Captain Marston, with much cordiality in his manner, "and am sure that no one member could be a greater addition to our company. As to the terms which Captain Coe makes," continued the pirate chief, addressing the men, "no one can object to them; any man has the right to resign at any time any office which he holds among us. The main thing is that Captain Coe is now a member of our band, and we all know how forcibly, in an instance of this kind, applies the old adage, `In for a penny, in for a pound!' Shipmates welcome our new comrade." These remarks of Captain Marston, intended to counteract what had been said by Afton, and to satisfy the crew with regard to the reservation made by Coe, were well-timed, and their new comrade was welcomed with loud cheers.