“The blockade runner _Argente_, Capt. Silver, sir! Taken off the coast of South Carolina, by the United States ship _Eagle_, Capt. Warfield. Silver and his first officer, and all his crew who were not killed in the fight, taken prisoners and put in irons. The _Eagle_ put a part of its own crew on board the _Argente_, under command of Lieut. Force, who brought the prize safely into port this morning, with Silver and his first officer in irons.” “Thank Heaven!” exclaimed Capt. Grandiere. “But do you call her a blockade runner only? She’s an infernal pirate! She took my _Kitty_! And Silver shall hang for it!” “And the _Argente_ is now in New York harbor?” inquired Mr. Force. “No, sir. She was telegraphed from the navy department to sail at once for Washington. And she sailed an hour ago.” CHAPTER XI WHERE IS ROLAND? “Where is Roland? Oh, Mrs. Force, where is Roland? He was on the pirate ship, you know! Oh, was he wounded in the sea fight? Was he taken prisoner? Was he killed? Oh, was he killed?” breathed little Rosemary Hedge, pulling at the lady’s dress and lifting her light blue eyes beseechingly to the lady’s face. “Let us hope that he has been rescued, my dear, and brought home in honor, since you know he was himself a captive among the pirates,” replied Elfrida Force, whose face looked quite as pale and anxious as the distressed little face turned up to hers. “But—but—does not the pilot know? Can he not tell us? Will not some one ask him?” “I think he has told all he knows, my dear! Remember the _Argente_ was only in port a few hours this morning, after the morning papers were out, and before the afternoon papers were out. The pilot put to sea at once. He could not have got but an outline of the facts, and perhaps not even a true outline.” “Oh, Uncle Gideon!” pleaded Rosemary, leaving the side of Mrs. Force and joining the old skipper. “Oh, Uncle Gideon, won’t you please ask the pilot if he heard of any prisoner among the pirate crew, rescued from them by the _Eagle_, or if he heard anything at all of Roland Bayard?” “Yes, yes, child, I will ask him,” promptly replied Capt. Grandiere, pushing to the front of the group, and hailing the pilot, who was elbowing his way through the questioners who would have detained him longer. “Ahoy, shipmate! Not so fast! Answer one question, and then you may go.” “Well, what is it?” demanded the pilot. “Heard you of any honest prisoner rescued from the pirates?” “No.” “Heard you of any man of Roland Bayard?” “No! never heard that name before! There were but two names talked of—Nichol Silver, the captain of the blockade runner, and Craven Cloud, his first officer,” said the pilot, now breaking away and hurrying aft.