“If they follow us what is to happen?” demanded Cahusac.

“We’ll fight whether we’re in case to do so or not,” swore Levasseur.

“Counsels of despair.”  Cahusac was contemptuous.  To mark it he spat upon the deck.  “This comes of going to sea with a lovesick madman.  Now, keep your temper, Captain, for the hands will be at the end of theirs if we have trouble as a result of this Dutchman business.”

For the remainder of that day Levasseur’s thoughts were of anything but love.  He remained on deck, his eyes now upon the land, now upon those two slowly gaining ships.  To run for the open could avail him nothing, and in his leaky condition would provide an additional danger.  He must stand at bay and fight.  And then, towards evening, when within three miles of shore and when he was about to give the order to strip for battle, he almost fainted from relief to hear a voice from the crow’s-nest above announce that the larger of the two ships was the Arabella.  Her companion was presumably a prize.

But the pessimism of Cahusac abated nothing.

“That is but the lesser evil,” he growled.  “What will Blood say about this Dutchman?”

“Let him say what he pleases.”  Levasseur laughed in the immensity of his relief.

“And what about the children of the Governor of Tortuga?”

“He must not know.”

“He’ll come to know in the end.”

“Aye, but by then, morbleu, the matter will be settled.  I shall have made my peace with the Governor.  I tell you I know the way to compel Ogeron to come to terms.”

Presently the four vessels lay to off the northern coast of La Virgen Magra, a narrow little island arid and treeless, some twelve miles by three, uninhabited save by birds and turtles and unproductive of anything but salt, of which there were considerable ponds to the south.

Levasseur put off in a boat accompanied by Cahusac and two other officers, and went to visit Captain Blood aboard the Arabella.

“Our brief separation has been mighty profitable,” was Captain Blood’s greeting.  “It’s a busy morning we’ve both had.”  He was in high good-humour as he led the way to the great cabin for a rendering of accounts.

The tall ship that accompanied the Arabella was a Spanish vessel of twenty-six guns, the Santiago from Puerto Rico with a hundred and twenty thousand weight of cacao, forty thousand pieces of eight, and the value of ten thousand more in jewels.  A rich capture of which two fifths under the articles went to Levasseur and his crew.  Of the money and jewels a division was made on the spot.  The cacao it was agreed should be taken to Tortuga to be sold.

Then it was the turn of Levasseur, and black grew the brow of Captain Blood as the Frenchman’s tale was unfolded.  At the end he roundly expressed his disapproval.  The Dutch were a friendly people whom it was a folly to alienate, particularly for so paltry a matter as these hides and tobacco, which at most would fetch a bare twenty thousand pieces.