And the cold-blooded desperado drew his hand across his throat and then pointed to the water over the ship’s side, in a very suggestive way.
“What do you want me to do?” asked Captain Harding curtly.
“Nothing very alarming, or calculated to wound your honourable feelings,” replied the pirate. “I simply want you to remain in command of your vessel.”
The bluff, honest sailor stared at the other in amazement; he couldn’t make out “what he was driving at,” as he said to himself.
“In ostensible command of the ship, that is,” said the pirate, correcting his previous expression. “I, of course, shall be virtually master, but you will navigate her under my orders, and answer—likewise under my directions—any curious questions that may be put to us from passing vessels as to our destination and so on.”
“Why, you want me, John Harding, to sail under false colours, and help you to make away with the ship as I’ve sailed in, man and boy, ever since I smelt salt water, not to speak of betraying my owners and their interests. I’ll see you—a—a—shot first!”
As he spoke the captain pulled the trigger of his revolver, and would have settled all the pirate’s chances of present and future booty if he had not with a rapid movement of his quickly-drawn yataghan struck up the muzzle of the weapon, causing the bullet to expend itself in the air harmlessly, although it went uncommonly close to the head of the trembling Tompkins above, who was waiting for a peaceful arrangement of the situation before he descended.
On the shot being fired, the main body of the pirates rushed forward, and would have annihilated the captain and the two lads, had not their chief stopped them with some harsh word of command, at which they immediately fell back again.
“I bear no malice, Captain Harding,” said the pirate chief, with a magnanimous air, “and I’ll forgive your attempt on my life, especially as the bullet missed its mark. I will also, as you have such scruples of conscience, excuse you from acting still as the captain of this vessel, and promote your chief officer—I believe the gentleman is up aloft—to that post. I’ve no doubt he will prove more accommodating, particularly when I place my reasons strongly before him. But I have not done with you yet, captain. I shall want you presently below with reference to the ship’s papers and cargo. So now put down your weapons, and order your men to disarm. I will save your lives, I promise.”
“Boys, we must submit; we’re in their power, and they are too strong for us,” said Captain Harding, turning to Tom and Charley. “I don’t suppose they’ll murder us now in cold blood; we must trust their word for it—the word of a pirate,” he added aloud, with bitter scorn.