CHAPTER IV
"BARBARISM"
The bosun now appeared with the handcuffs, and they were speedily sent aloft with a bosun's chair. And now every eye was turned on the topsail yard to see Black Davis put the handcuffs on his prisoner.
To go up on to that yard, with a raging dago waiting to knife you as you stepped on to the footrope, required nerve, and the mate knew that he was in a ticklish position, and that he could expect no help from the other men on the yard.
Yet there was no hesitation about Black Davis; the man was so made constitutionally that he really did not know what fear was.
"Git the dago's knife an' sling it overboard," he sang out to Broncho, as he climbed out of the top.
At this Pedro bared his teeth like a tiger at bay, and turned upon the cowpuncher with knife ready.
"He shore has me treed," said Broncho to Jack. "I ain't organisin' to bluff that bowie o' his, or he has me p'inting out on the heavenly trail too prompt for words."
It was evident that Broncho was helpless against the desperate southerner, and was more than likely to get killed in his turn if he made the slightest attempt to wrest Pedro's knife from him.