"We're willing to give you our word as to that," Phil said promptly. "I'd rather have better proof," the Britisher replied sharply; and in a very few seconds we convinced him of our defenceless condition. While we were thus being overhauled, I asked myself bitterly how it chanced that we had been such idiots as to leave camp without so much as a knife between us; but could find no satisfactory answer to the question. When he was convinced that we were really without weapons, Benson laid the musket carefully down at his feet and drew a huge clasp-knife, which he opened. "Stand around here!" he commanded sharply, and, as a matter of course, we did as we were bidden. Then the fellow drew from his pocket a small coil of ratline-stuff with which he proceeded to tie my left arm to Phil's right one in such a manner that we could not get at the knots with our free hands. Now we were entirely in his power and he proceeded to get such satisfaction as was possible out of the capture. "Look at me!" he said sharply. "Did you count that there wouldn't be a day of reckoning when you left me in jail?" "We never thought anything about it," I replied, my anger causing me to appear bold. "You deserved punishment, and should be behind the bars this very moment." "You evidently know very little about Chilian jails," he went on complacently. "Money will buy the freedom of any prisoner who is not accused of murder, and even such an one has been known to escape if he could show gold enough to convince the keepers. As soon as your miserable ships were out of the harbor, I quietly walked away one fine night, for I'd made enough selling Yankees to have a very respectable-sized hoard where no one could get at it but myself." "But how did you chance to be on this island?" Phil asked, curiosity overcoming his fear. "I took passage on a craft bound to the Galapagos on a trading voyage. We met heavy weather, and were cast away here. Four came ashore; but three have been roasted, and I'm living on the fat of the land, having shown the king of the Typees that I can be of more service to him alive than dead." "Then you knew we were in Nukuheva Bay?" I stammered, so much surprised that I could not speak in proper fashion. "Of course I did, and more than once I've crept near enough the shore to see you lads. I made up my mind that you would soon be where I could work off old scores, and began operations by advising the king to send that message to Captain Porter, knowing he'd come out. I believed you two sneaks would be with the war-party; but on finding you had hung back, like cowards, was on my way to learn where you were." Having made such explanation Benson, who had been seated while we stood like culprits before him, leaned back in a more comfortable fashion, surveying us gloatingly. "Well, what do you propose doing with us now that the plan has worked to your satisfaction?"