the size is not that of a woman or a boy!"

And he led back to the beach.

"Yon ship was a pirate," began Godefroy, "and if buccaneers be
about----"

"Hold your clack, fool," interrupted M. Radisson, as if the fellow's
prattle had cut into his mental plannings; and he bade us heap such a
fire as could be seen by Indians for a hundred miles. "If once I can
find the Indians," meditated he moodily, "I'll drive out a whole
regiment of scoundrels with one snap o' my thumb!"

Black clouds rolled in from the distant bay, boding a stormy night; and
Godefroy began to complain that black deeds were done in the dark, and
we were forty leagues away from the protection of our ships.

"A pretty target that fire will make of us in the dark," whined the
fellow.

M. Radisson's eyes glistened sparks.

"I'd as lief be a pirate myself, as be shot down by pirates," grumbled
the trader, giving a hand to hoist the shed of sheet canvas that was to
shield us from the rains now aslant against the seaward horizon.

At the words M. Radisson turned sharply; but the heedless fellow
gabbled on.

"Where is a man to take cover, an the buccaneers began shooting from