KER KARRAJE 177

that residence, which is, if I am not mistaken, Count
d’ Artigas’, and I was prevented.”

“By whom, Mr. Gaydon?”

“ By a man in the Count’s service.”

“Very probably the man has received special orders
with regard to you.” :

“ Why ? Ped
_ “ Because there is no Count d’ Artigas here.”

“You are joking, I think—I have just seen him.”

“That is not Count d’Artigas whom yeu have just
seen, Mr. Gaydon.”

“ And who is he, then, if you please?”

“The pirate, Ker Karraje!”

This name was flung at me in a loud voice, and Serko
left me before I could stop him. fei

‘“‘ Ker Karraje, the pirate!”

That name, I know it,and what terrible memories it
awakens! It explains, in itself, all that was inexplicable!
It tells me the kind of man into whose hands I have
fallen !

With what I knew before, and with what I have fee
since my arrival at Backcup, even from the mouth of Serko,
this is all that is lawful for me to tell of the past and the
present of Ker Karraje. Eight or nine years ago the
waters of the Western Pacific were infested by pirates of
extraordinary daring. These were a band of desperadoes
of all kinds, deserters from adjacent colonies, escaped
prisoners, and runaway sailors, under the command of a
formidable chief. The nucleus of the band had been first

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