“If them that wishes to be told As how there is a bag of gold, And where a party hid it; Mayhap as other parties knows A thing or two, and there be those As seen the man wot hid it.” The Monarch read it through, and wrote A little sentence most emphatical: “I think the language of the note Is strictly speaking not grammatical.” [Illustration ** The African king seated with his foot on a skull, writing, and another African in attendance, armed.] On seeing our acute distress, The King--I really must confess-- Behaved uncommon handsome; He said he would release the three If only Captain Blood and he Could settle on a ransom. And it would clear the situation To hear his private valuation. “My value,” William Blood began, “Is ludicrously small. I think I am the vilest man That treads this earthly ball; My head is weak, my heart is cold, I’m ugly, vicious, vulgar, old, Unhealthy, short and fat. [Illustration ** Blood and African King standing talking.] I cannot speak, I cannot work, I have the temper of a Turk, And cowardly at that. Retaining, with your kind permission, The usual five per cent. commission, I think that I could do the job For seventeen or sixteen bob.” The King was irritated, frowned, And cut him short with, “Goodness Gracious! Your economics _are_ fallacious! I quite believe you are a wretch, But things are worth what they will fetch. I’ll put your price at something round, Say, six-and-thirty thousand pound?” But just as Blood began with zest, To bargain, argue, and protest, Commander Sin and I Broke in: “Your Majesty was told About a certain bag of gold; If you will let us try, We’ll find the treasure, for we know The place to half a yard or so.” Poor William! The suspense and pain Had touched the fibre of his brain; So far from showing gratitude, He cried in his delirium: “Oh! For Heaven’s sake don’t let them go.” Only a lunatic would take So singular an attitude, When loyal comrades for his sake Had put their very lives at stake. * * * * * The King was perfectly content To let us find it;--and we went. But as we left we heard him say, “If there is half an hour’s delay The Captain will have passed away.” XIV. Alas! within a single week The Messengers despatched to seek Our hiding-place had found us, We made an excellent defence (I use the word in legal sense), But none the less they bound us. (Not in the legal sense at all But with a heavy chain and ball).