Ben bellowed a jeering laugh, and his second man took the cue.
"Your four officers may be forty devils," yelled the lieutenant; "we've finished our fort. Come in, Monsieur Radisson! Two can play at the game of big talk! You're welcome in if you leave your forty officers out!"
For the space of a second M. Radisson's eyes swept the cannon pointing from the bastion embrasures. We were safe enough. The full hull of their own ship was between the guns and us.
"Young man," said M. Radisson, addressing Ben, "you may speak less haughtily, as I come in friendship."
"Friendship!" flouted Ben, twirling his mustache and showing both rows of teeth. "Pooh, pooh, M. Radisson! You are not talking to a stripling!"
"I had thought I was--and a very fool of a booby, too," answered M. Radisson coolly.
"Sir!" roared young Gillam with a rumbling of oaths, and he fumbled his sword.
But his sword had not left the scabbard before M. de Radisson sent it spinning through mid-air into the sea.
"I must ask your forgiveness for that, boy," said the Frenchman to Ben, "but a gentleman fights only his equals."
Ben Gillam went white and red by turns, his nose flushing and paling like the wattle of an angry turkey; and he stammered out that he hoped M. de Radisson did not take umbrage at the building of a fort.
"We must protect ourselves from the English," pleaded Ben.
"Pardieu, yes," agreed M. de Radisson, proffering his own sword with a gesture in place of the one that had gone into the sea, "and I had come to offer you twenty men _to hold_ the fort!"
Ben glanced questioningly to his second officer.
"Bid that fellow draw off!" ordered M. Radisson.
Dazed like a man struck between the eyes, Ben did as he was commanded.
"I told you that I came in friendship," began Radisson.
"Has one run away from the island against orders?"
"No, devil take me, if I've lost a hand but the supercargo that I killed."
"I had thought that was yours," said Radisson, with contempt for the ruffian's boast; and he handed out the paper taken from Jack.
Ben staggered back with a great oath, vowing he would have the scalp of the traitor who lost that letter. Both stood silent, each contemplating the other. Then M. Radisson spoke.
"Ben," said he, never taking his glance from the young fellow's face, "what will you give me if I guide you to your father this afternoon? I have just come from Captain Gillam. He and his crew are ill of the scurvy. Dress as a coureur and I pass you for a Frenchman."