"One does at Rome as Rome does. I'm your man," cried Pierre, laughing; "what do you think of me?" "Unrecognisable. I should not know you anywhere. You are clever; even your accent is changed." "That is always the first thing to be thought of," said Pierre Durand; "and now what is the nature of the restitution?" "We are going," replied the outlaw, with a smile, "to restore a young girl to her friends and relatives." "A young girl?" cried Durand. "Yes--a most charming and interesting maiden, whom I captured the other day. I can no longer resist her tender sorrow." "Bah!" said the young sailor, with a grin. "I swear to you, upon my honour," cried the outlaw, warmly, "that she has been treated with the most profound respect and even tenderness." "Spoken like an honest man," said the captain, warmly. "But may I ask with what object you took her away?" "I had a motive, which I fear me exists no longer. I even fear," he said, gloomily, "I have entered upon a bad speculation. But it is useless to discuss the matter anymore. Soon there shall be no mysteries for you. Be seated again." "Why?" asked the captain, puzzled at all these mysteries. "She comes, and it is rather important I should say a few words to her before we start on our journey." "I am your humble servant to command." Tom Mitchell struck a gong, and Camotte appeared. "Have my orders been executed?" asked the outlaw. "Yes, captain. The stranger is watched carefully, and yet without creating suspicion," replied the lieutenant. "Where is he now?" "In his own room." "If tomorrow he asks after me," said Tom Mitchell, "you will give him the answer already agreed on." "Yes, captain." "What about the detachments?" "Those have started within the hour, I shall start with the last as soon as the moon rises," replied Camotte. "Remember," said Tom, thoughtfully, "that tomorrow morning at sunrise, if not before, you must be back." "Be easy as to that, captain," said the other, significantly; "I shall not leave the island without a chief just now." "Humph!" observed the captain, suspiciously, "Is there anything fresh in the air?" "Nothing in appearance, much in reality." "You can speak out here," said Tom Mitchell; "if you have anything to say, say it without hesitation." "About an hour ago, when I was going my round," said the matter-of-fact and faithful Camotte, "I met that fellow Versenca at the water's edge; he was wet through, and had evidently been swimming. When he saw me he was utterly confounded, and then when I questioned him as to his conduct he gave me a lot of silly reasons a child of five would have seen through." The captain reflected with a dark frown. "Redouble your vigilance, my good Camotte," he said at last. "On the first suspicion arrest him until I come back." "For greater safety, captain," replied Camotte, "I shall take him with me tonight, I can watch him."