I am, against my will, engaged in this piratical attack upon your vessel, but I wish to assure you privately that I will not consent to have you robbed of your property, and that, although some of your provisions may be taken by these pirates, I here promise, as an honourable gentleman, to pay you the full value of all that they seize upon." The captain of the Black Swan had no opportunity to make an answer to this most extraordinary statement, for at that moment a naval officer, shouting at the top of his voice, came rushing towards the respectable gentleman who had just been making such honourable proposals.

Almost at the same moment there was a great shout from Captain Ichabod, who, drawing his cutlass from its sheath, raised the glittering blade and dashed in pursuit of the naval gentleman.
"Hold there! Hold there!" cried the pirate.

"Don't you touch him; don't you lay your hand upon him!" But Ichabod was not quick enough.

Dickory, swift as a stag, stretched out both his arms and threw them around the neck of the amazed Mr.
Delaplaine.
Now the pirate Ichabod reached the two; his great sword went high in air, and was about to descend upon the naval person, whoever he was, who had made such an unprovoked attack upon his honoured passenger, when his arm was caught by some one from behind.

Turning, with a great curse, his eyes fell upon the face of a young girl.
[Illustration: Lucilla rescues Dickory.] "Oh, don't kill him! Don't kill him!" she cried, "he will hurt nobody; he is only hugging the old gentleman." Captain Ichabod looked from the girl to the two men, who were actually embracing each other.