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The two boats nearing each other, Joan stood up, saluting, and Lafarge did the same.

“Good-day, m’sieu’,” said Joan, with assumed brusqueness, mischief lurking about her mouth. “What do you want?”

“Good-day, monsieur; I did not expect to confer with you.”

“M’sieu’,” said Joan, with well-acted dignity, “if you prefer to confer with the captain or Mr. Bissonnette, whom I believe you know in the matter of a pail, and–“

“No, no; pardon me, monsieur,” said Lafarge more eagerly than was good for the play, “I am glad to confer with you, you will understand–you will understand–” He paused.

“What will I understand?”

“You will understand that I understand!” Lafarge waved meaningly towards the Ninety-Nine, but it had no effect at all. Joan would not give the game over into his hands.

“That sounds like a charade or a puzzle game. We are gentlemen on a serious errand, aren’t we?”

“Yes,” answered Lafarge, “perfect gentlemen on a perfectly serious errand!”

“Very well, m’sieu’. Have you come to surrender?” The splendid impudence of the thing stunned Lafarge, but he said: “I suppose one or the other ought to surrender; and naturally,” he added with slow point, “it should be the weaker.”

“Very well. Our captain is willing to consider conditions. You came down on us to take us–a quiet craft sailing in free waters. You attack us without cause. We summon all hands, and you run. We follow, you ask for truce. It is granted. We are not hard–no. We only want our rights. Admit them; we’ll make surrender easy, and the matter is over.”

Lafarge gasped. She was forcing his hand. She would not understand his oblique suggestions. He saw only one way now, and that was to meet her, boast for boast.

“I haven’t come to surrender,” he said, “but to demand.”

“M’sieu’,” Joan said grandly, “there’s nothing more to say. Carry word to your captain that we’ll overhaul him by sundown, and sink him before supper.”

Lafarge burst out laughing.

“Well, by the Lord, but you’re a swashbuckler, Joan–“

“M’sieu’–“

“Oh, nonsense! I tell you, nonsense! Let’s have over with this, my girl. You’re the cleverest woman on the continent, but there’s a limit to everything. Here, tell me now, and if you answer me straight I’ll say no more.”

“M’sieu’, I am here to consider conditions, not to–” “Oh, for God’s sake, Joan! Tell me now, have you got anything contraband on board? There’ll be a nasty mess about the thing, for me and all of us, and why can’t we compromise? I tell you honestly we’d have come on, if I hadn’t seen you aboard.”

Joan turned her head back with a laugh. “My poor m’sieu’! You have such bad luck. Contraband? Let me see? Liquors and wines and tobacco are contraband. Is it not so?” Lafarge nodded.

“Is money–gold–contraband?”

“Money? No; of course not, and you know it. Why won’t you be sensible? You’re getting me into a bad hole, and–“

“I want to see how you’ll come out. If you come out well–” She paused quaintly.

“Yes, if I come out well–“

“If you come out very well, and we do not sink you before supper, I may ask you to come and see me.”

“H’m! Is that all? After spoiling my reputation, I’m to be let come and see you.”

“Isn’t that enough to start with? What has spoiled your reputation?”

“A man, a boy, and a slip of a girl.” He looked meaningly enough at her now. She laughed. “See,” he added; “give me a chance. Let me search the Ninety-Nine for contraband,–that’s all I’ve got to do with,–and then I can keep quiet about the rest. If there’s no contraband, whatever else there is, I’ll hold my tongue.”

“I’ve told you what there is.”

He did not understand. “Will you let me search?” Joan’s eyes flashed. “Once and for all, no, Orvay Lafarge. I am the daughter of a man whom you and your men would have killed or put in the dock. He’s been a smuggler, and I know it. Who has he robbed? Not the poor, not the needy; but a rich Government that robs also. Well, in the hour when he ceases to be a smuggler for ever, armed men come to take him. Why didn’t they do so before? Why so pious all at once? No; I am first the daughter of my father, and afterwards–“