“Si, señor,” replied the man, with a nod and a grin, and he resumed his seat again; but no sooner had their leader left the cabin than a bottle and glasses were placed upon the table, and they fell to with a will, complimenting the bound and wounded prisoner by pitching the last drops from their tumblers into his face.
CHAPTER VI.
DANGER.
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“What tale do the roaring ocean And the night wind, bleak and wild, As they beat at the crazy casement, Tell to that little child? And why do the roaring ocean And the night wind, wild and bleak, As they beat at the heart of the mother, Drive the color from her cheek?” |
In all this time so little noise had been made that even the watch below, in the brig’s forecastle, were snoozing away without a dream of danger; though, had one of them shown his nose above the fore-peak, he would have either been knocked down and murdered like the mate, or, with a gag in his jaws, been hurled overboard. When the leader of the pirates stepped again on deck, he said to his companions, who were still clustered around the companion-way,
“Well, my boys, we have ’arned a good prize––a fine cargo of the real stuff––silks, wines, and what not, besides a few of the shiners!” Here he jingled the bag of gold and dollars in his paws, and then threw it, with an easy, indifferent toss, on to the slide of the companion-way.
“But what think ye, lads?” he continued, in a hoarse whisper, “there’s a petticoat aboard! and, as sure as my name’s Bill Gibbs, here goes for a look; for there’s nothing like lamplight for the lovely creeturs!”
As he slewed round on his bare feet to approach the entrance to the deck cabin, a move was made in the same direction by two or three of the wretches of his band; but, shoving them roughly back with his heavy fist, and clapping a hand to his belt, he said, in a threatening tone,
“None o’ that, my souls! I takes the first look myself; and if I think her beauty’ll suit the chief, why––I shall be able to judge, ye know, whether she’ll go furder on the cruise or swim ashore with the rest of the lubbers at daylight to Jamaiky. Keep your eye on the schooner, Pedro, and don’t make no more sail! D’ye hear?”