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CHAPTER V. LARRY DIVINE UNMASKED

"YES, Barbara, it is I," said Mr. Divine; "and thank God that I am here to do what

little any man may do against this band of murdering pirates."

"But, Larry," cried the girl, in evident bewilderment, "how did you come to be

aboard this ship? How did you get here? What are you doing amongst such as

these?"

"I am a prisoner," replied the man, "just as are you. I think they intend holding us

for ransom. They got me in San Francisco. Slugged me and hustled me aboard

the night before they sailed."

Where are they going to take us?" she asked.

I do not know," he replied, "although from something I have overheard of their

conversations I imagine that they have in mind some distant island far from the

beaten track of commerce. There are thousands such in the Pacific that are

visited by vessels scarce once in a century. There they will hold us until they can

proceed with the ship to some point where they can get into communication with

their agents in the States. When the ransom is paid over to these agents they will

return for us and land us upon some other island where our friends can find us,

or leaving us where we can divulge the location of our whereabouts to those who

pay the ransom."

The girl had been looking intently at Mr. Divine during their conversation.

They cannot have treated you very badly, Larry," she said. "You are as well

groomed and well fed, apparently, as ever."

A slight flush mounting to the man's face made the girl wonder a bit though it

aroused no suspicion in her mind.

"Oh, no," he hastened to assure her, "they have not treated me at all badly--why

should they? If I die they can collect no ransom on me. It is the same with you,

Barbara, so I think you need apprehend no harsh treatment."

I hope you are right, Larry," she said, but the hopelessness of her air rather

belied any belief that aught but harm could come from captivity with such as

those who officered and manned the Halfmoon.

"It seems so remarkable," she went on, "that you should be a prisoner upon the

same boat. I cannot understand it. Why only a few days ago we received and

The Mucker