The second mate thrust his way to the front of the mob of pirates on the main deck.
"Take fifty men and break out a quantity of treasure from the lazaret of the prize."
"Aye, aye, sir," returned Saunders, and the pirates fell over themselves in their alacrity to have a hand in his business.
My great-uncle concluded the cleaning of his sword, crossed to the larboard railing and tossed the bloodied handkerchief overboard.
"Oh, Master Martin," he hailed the mate on the poop of the Royal James.
"Aye, aye, sir," answered Martin. "—— —— —— —— my gizzards for a —— ——, but we ha' done a clean job this morning."
"I find myself in agreement with your sentiments, Martin," replied my great-uncle. "Be so good as to have a whip rigged from the foreyard-arm to sling aboard the treasure which Saunders is breaking out. You will also tell off a score or two of men to make any essential repairs at once. I would have the ship ready to sail as soon as we cast off, which will be the moment the prize's cargo is transshipped."
"Aye, aye, sir, I'll attend to it all myself," Martin assured him. "—— my eyes for a —— —— —— and all the Twelve Apostles, blast 'em for a —— —— lot of —— —— ——."
"A pungent fellow, Martin!" commented my great-uncle, recrossing the deck. "But we must play our little comedy here. You, chevalier, are cast for the Anguished Parent. I am the Aged Libertine. Peter is the Mute with the bowstring—be gentle, Peter. Robert—humph! I scarce know how to describe your rôle, Robert. You, shall we say, are to be Youth? Ah, yes! Youth, immortal, selfish, impulsive, acquisitive, mendacious——"
Colonel O'Donnell regarded him as if he had lost his sanity.