The captain frowned as I spoke, but subduing his anger he continued
- "Boy, you are too bold. I admit that we treated you roughly, but
that was because you made us lose time and gave us a good deal of
trouble. As to the black flag, that is merely a joke that my
fellows play off upon people sometimes in order to frighten them.
It is their humour, and does no harm. I am no pirate, boy, but a
lawful trader, - a rough one, I grant you, but one can't help that
in these seas, where there are so many pirates on the water and
such murderous blackguards on the land. I carry on a trade in
sandal-wood with the Feejee Islands; and if you choose, Ralph, to
behave yourself and be a good boy, I'll take you along with me and
give you a good share of the profits. You see I'm in want of an
honest boy like you, to look after the cabin and keep the log, and
superintend the traffic on shore sometimes. What say you, Ralph,
would you like to become a sandal-wood trader?"

I was much surprised by this explanation, and a good deal relieved
to find that the vessel, after all, was not a pirate; but instead
of replying I said, "If it be as you state, then why did you take
me from my island, and why do you not now take me back?"

The captain smiled as he replied, "I took you off in anger, boy,
and I'm sorry for it. I would even now take you back, but we are
too far away from it. See, there it is," he added, laying his
finger on the chart, "and we are now here, - fifty miles at least.
It would not be fair to my men to put about now, for they have all
an interest in the trade."

I could make no reply to this; so, after a little more