"Dat er dago, Pedro, sah," shouted Sam, who was not a special friend of the little Chilian.
Black Davis had seen many a fatality of this sort, and to his credit it may be said that, whatever the emergency, it always found him ready.
"Bosun!" he roared, "git down off thet yard an' fetch a pair er handcuffs!"
The whole ship was now awake to the fact that a tragedy had occurred.
The old man appeared through the companion-way with his Winchester crooked under his arm, and going to the rail of the poop, sang out to know if the second mate was badly hurt.
"He's done cashed in his checks, sir!" Ben Sluice roared back.
"Better send up a bosun's chair to get the body down on deck, sir," sang out Jack.
"All right, all right, not so durned full o' talk up thar," growled the old man.
An atmosphere of excitement began to pervade the ship, and all work was dropped. Those who were up the fore scrambled quickly to the deck, and began feverishly to discuss the matter with Black Davis's gang, in charge of the main course.
Black Davis, swinging himself on to the rail, slowly started the ascent of the main rigging.