despair.

"It is a terrible problem," said Cleopatra, anxiously; "and yet it
does seem as if our woman's instinct ought to show us some way out of
our trouble."

"The Committee on Treachery," said Delilah, "has already suggested a
chafing-dish party, with Lucretia Borgia in charge of the lobster
Newberg."

"That is true," said Lucretia; "but I find, in going through my
reticule, that my maid, for some reason unknown to me, has failed to
renew my supply of poisons. I shall discharge her on my return home,
for she knows that I never go anywhere without them; but that does
not help matters at this juncture. The sad fact remains that I could
prepare a thousand delicacies for these pirates without fatal
results."

"You mean immediately fatal, do you not?" suggested Xanthippe. "I
could myself prepare a cake which would in time reduce our captors to
a state of absolute dependence, but of course the effect is not
immediate."

"We might give a musicale, and let Trilby sing 'Ben Bolt' to them,"
suggested Marguerite de Valois, with a giggle.

"Don't be flippant, please," said Portia. "We haven't time to waste
on flippant suggestions. Perhaps a court-martial of these pirates,
supplemented by a yard-arm, wouldn't be a bad thing. I'll prosecute
the case."