They were quite alone.  Redfield was entirely unarmed, but his opponent wore a sword at his side, with pistol and knife hanging from his belt.  Having made the assault, the only safety for Redfield lay in his gaining the ascendency over his opponent by sheer physical effort, to enable him to keep Brisbau from using the weapons at his side.  He missed the hold around both arms which he had planned, but firmly secured Brisbau’s right arm, while his own right hand grasped the other’s wrist.  These advantages he succeeded in holding, although he could do nothing towards disarming Brisbau or binding him more securely as a captive.

They struggled long and furiously.  Redfield, whose position required his utmost exertion, gradually became exhausted; but he had a desperate determination to win the mastery over Brisbau, who was likewise weary from the struggle and doggedly angry.  He feared a result disastrous to himself if he gave his opponent an opportunity to use his weapons.

Finally, just at a critical moment, Mrs. Redfield appeared.  She started at the sight which met her eyes; but, seeing the situation at a glance, she ran back into the room out of which she had come, and quickly reappeared with a rope.  With a woman’s ready wit, she had found the means of bringing victory to her husband.  She threw the rope around Brisbau’s shoulders and wound it over his arms until he was powerless to resist further.  He was then easily bound and tied, body and legs, to a chair, grumbling his angry displeasure at the turn of affairs.

Captain Redfield paused a little while to recover his balance, and sat down to cogitate the matter of the disposition of his prisoner; and, also, to watch for the return of his men from an excursion they had gone upon for the entertainment of their guests.  They were slow in coming, and an annoying suspicion grew upon him.  He could not tell what the attitude of Brisbau’s men might be; or if a conflict between them and his own men were to occur, what consequences might ensue.  At any rate, he wished to avoid such a conflict if it were by any means possible; but he feared it could not be done.  His good wife was greatly concerned, and urged upon him some amicable settlement with Brisbau, even to the delivery of part of the treasure; for, after all, she thought, his claim might be just.

An hour later, one of Captain Redfield’s men returned; and, to his great dismay, informed him that an agreement had been made with the visiting seamen which would affect their standing with him, but would work him no harm.  He said that, upon the arrival of the other men, the matter would be discussed with the Captain, and meantime he would take no steps toward providing a defense for him in a conflict which was not likely to occur.

This disclosure was startling, and a shock to the spirit which had upheld Captain Redfield.  His first impulse was to attack the man for what he considered the basest treachery, but he desisted.  Parley with him he could not.  He could only await the consequences of the compact which had been hinted at.  But upon one thing he was determined—­not to disclose any knowledge of the secreted treasure without first having in hand the credentials from Captain Kidd which he had demanded.  His honor had been pledged to such a course, and he would not forsake his trust.