“‘“The gold doubloons on board that ship,” said the messenger, “were like ten great fortunes rolled into one.”
“‘Morgan believed him implicitly, and indeed the result showed that his statement was perfectly true. But the news had one very strange effect upon the arch-pirate. He became to a very great extent a reformed man as far as drinking was concerned.
“‘He had at this time a bold little fleet of seven well-armed ships, with about five hundred and twenty men in all.
“‘Now he assembled the captains and officers of these on board our own ship. He gave them rum to drink, as was the custom; then he explained to them the dangerous nature of the expedition he was about to undertake, for the man-o’-war was larger than any he had yet encountered, and able, unless soon crippled, to blow his ships, one by one, out of the water. If, however, they could sink her and capture the bullion-ship, great indeed would be their reward.
“‘“And now, men,” he continued, “it cannot have escaped your notice that I have drunk but very little to-night. Only sober men can carry out an enterprise like this with any hope of success. I charge you, therefore, to keep your crews sober, and your rum under lock and key. You all know me by this time, and you know I am a man of my word.”
“‘Here he placed a brace of pistols on the table;
“‘“You see these little guns,” he said. “If when cruising to meet the ships I come on board and find any drunkenness on any ship, I shall with my own hand shoot the captain of that vessel through head or heart, and throw every officer on board of her into irons.”
“‘And every man gave his word there and then that Admiral Morgan should be obeyed to the hilt.
“‘Then they separated, each lot of officers repairing to its own ship.
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