“But—what—what is my offence? how dare you? My own son, to—” here one of the sailors, who guarded him, threw his sash over his head, and bound it so tightly behind, that not even a murmur of the unfortunate prisoner could be heard, as he was led away to the foremost part of the vessel.
The chief now rose and retired. The crew silently returned to their own quarters, and the Black Schooner which, a moment ago, was full of animation, was now left again quiet and apparently solitary, gracefully riding over the sparkling waves under her jib and half-mainsail.
CHAPTER VI.
“Why, I will fight with him upon this theme,
Until my eye-lids no longer wag.”
Hamlet.
The captain had retired from the deck of the schooner but a short time, when the sounds of the gong, which was the usual instrument for announcing a day of pleasure to the sailors, echoed over the vessel. The sounds were received with joy, and, in a short time, the deck of the schooner again presented the scene of life, which it had done but a few moments ago, but which had been momentarily succeeded by the contrasting stillness of death.
On this occasion, however, the sailors were not standing in the stiff restraint of discipline and duty, as then, but they delivered themselves up to enjoyment with all that impetuosity of pleasure, which strict constraint and proper separation of relaxation from labour necessarily produce. No boisterous mirth, nevertheless, obtained among them now, as on the other day. They were occupied in either speaking about the prize-ship, and the prospect of their booty, or in speculating upon the enjoyment which their share of the mornings’ division would procure them, when they should be allowed a day’s sport in some friendly harbour. The liquors, which they had taken on board of the ship, circulated freely around, and the choice tobacco which had also fallen into their hands, contributed largely to their gratification.
The English sailors, who had been induced to make themselves easy by the forbearance with which they were treated, and had been invited by the pirates to mix in the merriment, joined freely in the carousals of the day. By that mysterious sympathy which instinctively exists between people of the same country, and children of the same soil, they had been drawn together around Jim Splice, and were now expressing their surprise at what they had seen, and experienced on board the Black Schooner.