"Will they spare none of us?" stammered Bob. "I am sure I never harmed any of them."
"It makes no difference. The last one of us will have to go. Good-bye, Bob. Old Ben will stick to you to the last."
Bob was too terrified to move or speak again, and so he watched the captain with his unresisting prisoner. He pushed him to the mast and looked around for some one to help him. The second mate had retreated to the cabin, and Ben and Bob were the only ones near him. The skipper's eye fell upon them, although they tried to make themselves as small as they could.
"Come 'ere, you two, and 'elp me trice hup this man," said he.
The boy at first did not move, but old Ben, always prompt to obey orders, sprang at the word; and Bob, knowing that the old sailor's judgment and experience would show him what ought to be done under the circumstances, thought it best to follow his example, although he would much rather have assisted in tying up the captain. He caught up a rope and fastened one of the tindal's hands to the shrouds, hauling down on it, in obedience to the captain's order, until the captive's toes just rested on deck.
"Now, I'll show these bloody heathen who's master 'ere!" exclaimed the skipper, snatching up the cat and panting with the violence of his exertions. "'Ere, Watson, take this and lay on till I tell you to stop. We'll learn these bloody heathen—Eh? You won't do it?"
Ben drew back a step or two.
"Cap'n," said he, "it is something I never done, and never will do. I had rather be there myself."
"You would, hey?" shouted the skipper, brandishing the cat in the air. "Well, we will soon have you there, and you'll know how good it feels. Hi, boy! Call hup my two hofficers, and tell 'em to bring my pistols. 'Ere's a bloody mutiny!"
Bob, to whom this command was addressed, ran to the cabin, but found the door fastened. He called to the mates and repeated the captain's order, but there was no response. Had he gone to the stern and looked over, he would have found that one of the small cabin windows was open, and that the second mate was trying to squeeze his burly form through it to reach the boat that hung at the davits. The two officers knew what was likely to be the result of the skipper's unreasonable behavior, and were preparing to leave him to his fate.