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The circle sucked in their breath。 〃All at the bottom of the sea？〃 queried Red Gil； with gloating eyes fixed upon the smiling water。 〃Not one pezo left； not one little； little pearl？〃
I shook my head and heaved a prodigious sigh。 〃The treasure is gone；〃 I said； 〃and the men with whom I took it are gone。 I am a captain with neither ship nor crew。 I take you； my friends； for a ship and crew without a captain。 The inference is obvious。〃
The ring gaped with wonder； then strange oaths arose。 Red Gil broke into a bellow of angry laughter； while the Spaniard glared like a catamount about to spring。 〃So you would be our captain？〃 said Paradise； picking up another shell； and poising it upon a hand as fine and small as a woman's。
〃Faith； you might go farther and fare worse；〃 I answered； and began to hum a tune。 When I had finished it； 〃I am Kirby；〃 I said； and waited to see if that shot should go wide or through the hull。
For two minutes the dash of the surf and the cries of the wheeling sea fowl made the only sound in that part of the world； then from those half…clad rapscallions arose a shout of 〃Kirby！〃 … a shout in which the three leaders did not join。 That one who looked a gentleman rose from the sand and made me a low bow。 〃Well met； noble captain；〃 he cried in those his honey tones。 〃You will doubtless remember me who was with you that time at Maracaibo when you sunk the galleasses。 Five years have passed since then； and yet I see you ten years younger and three inches taller。〃
〃I touched once at the Lucayas； and found the spring de Leon sought；〃 I said。 〃Sure the waters have a marvelous effect； and if they give not eternal youth at least renew that which we have lost。〃
〃Truly a potent aqua vit‘；〃 he remarked； still with thoughtful melancholy。 〃I see that it hath changed your eyes from black to gray。〃
〃It hath that peculiar virtue；〃 I said； 〃that it can make black seem white。〃
The man with the woman's mantle drawn about him now thrust himself from the rear to the front rank。 〃That's not Kirby！〃 he bawled。 〃He's no more Kirby than I am Kirby！ Did n't I sail with Kirby from the Summer Isles to Cartagena and back again？ He's a cheat； and I am agoing to cut his heart out！〃 He was making at me with a long knife； when I whipped out my rapier。
〃Am I not Kirby； you dog？〃 I cried； and ran him through the shoulder。
He dropped； and his fellows surged forward with a yell。 〃Yet a little patience； my masters！〃 said Paradise in a raised voice and with genuine amusement in his eyes。 〃It is true that that Kirby with whom I and our friend there on the ground sailed was somewhat short and as swart as a raven； besides having a cut across his face that had taken away a part of his lip and the top of his ear； and that this gentleman who announces himself as Kirby hath none of Kirby's marks。 But we are fair and generous and open to conviction〃 …
〃He'll have to convince my cutlass！〃 roared Red Gil。
I turned upon him。 〃If I do convince it； what then？〃 I demanded。 〃If I convince your sword； you of Spain； and yours； Sir Black and Silver？〃
The Spaniard stared。 〃I was the best sword in Lima；〃 he said stiffly。 〃I and my Toledo will not change our minds。〃
〃Let him try to convince Paradise； he's got no reputation as a swordsman！〃 cried out the gravedigger with the broken head。
A roar of laughter followed this suggestion； and I gathered from it and from the oaths and allusions to this or that time and place that Paradise was not without reputation。
I turned to him。 〃If I fight you three； one by one； and win； am I Kirby？〃
He regarded the shell with which he was toying with a thoughtful smile； held it up that the light might strike through its rose and pearl； then crushed it to dust between his fingers。
〃Ay；〃 he said with an oath。 〃If you win against the cutlass of Red Gil； the best blade of Lima； and the sword of Paradise； you may call yourself the devil an you please； and we will all subscribe to it。〃
I lifted my hand。 〃I am to have fair play？〃
As one man that crew of desperate villains swore that the odds should be only three to one。 By this the whole matter had presented itself to them as an entertainment more diverting than bullfight or bearbaiting。 They that follow the sea； whether honest men or black…hearted knaves； have in their composition a certain childlikeness that makes them easily turned； easily led； and easily pleased。 The wind of their passion shifts quickly from point to point； one moment blowing a hurricane； the next sinking to a happy…go…lucky summer breeze。 I have seen a little thing convert a crew on the point of mutiny into a set of rollicking； good…natured souls who … until the wind veered again … would not hurt a fly。 So with these。 They spread themselves into a circle； squatting or kneeling or standing upon the white sand in the bright sunshine； their sinewy hands that should have been ingrained red clasped over their knees； or； arms akimbo； resting upon their hips； on their scoundrel faces a broad smile； and in their eyes that had looked on nameless horrors a pleasurable expectation as of spectators in a playhouse awaiting the entrance of the players。
〃There is really no good reason why we should gratify your whim；〃 said Paradise； still amused。 〃But it will serve to pass the time。 We will fight you； one by one。〃
〃And if I win？〃
He laughed。 〃Then； on the honor of a gentleman； you are Kirby and our captain。 If you lose； we will leave you where you stand for the gulls to bury。〃
〃A bargain；〃 I said； and drew my sword。
〃I first！〃 roared Red Gil。 〃God's wounds！ there will need no second！〃
As he spoke he swung his cutlass and made an arc of blue flame。 The weapon became in his hands a flail； terrible to look upon； making lightnings and whistling in the air； but in reality not so deadly as it seemed。 The fury of his onslaught would have beaten down the guard of any mere swordsman； but that I was not。 A man； knowing his weakness and insufficiency in many and many a thing； may yet know his strength in one or two and his modesty take no hurt。 I was ever master of my sword； and it did the thing I would have it do。 Moreover； as I fought I saw her as I had last seen her； standing against the bank of sand； her dark hair； half braided； drawn over her bosom and hanging to her knees。 Her eyes haunted me； and my lips yet felt the touch of her hand。 I fought well； … how well the lapsing of oaths and laughter into breathless silence bore witness。
The ruffian against whom I was pitted began to draw his breath in gasps。 He was a scoundrel not fit to die； less fit to live； unworthy of a gentleman's steel。 I presently ran him through with as little compunction and as great a desire to be quit of a dirty job as if he had been a mad dog。 He fell； and a little later； while I was engaged with the Spaniard； his soul went to that hell which had long gaped for it。 To those his companions his death was as slight a thing as would theirs have been to him。 In the eyes of the two remaining would…be leaders he was a stumbling…block removed； and to the squatting； open…mouthed commonality his taking off weighed not a feather against the solid entertainment I was affording them。 I was now a better