"Yes; tie his hands together," I replied.
While the steward was thus engaged, I removed the handkerchief from the mouth of the mate, for he was breathing with extreme difficulty. He was so exhausted that he lay quite still until his hands were made fast. But gradually he regained his breath and his strength. He looked at me, and I saw that he understood the whole matter without any explanation. His expression was ugly again, and I was satisfied that we should have all the trouble with him which he had the power to make.
"Put a line around each of his ankles, Sanderson," said I, when the hands of the prisoner were securely bound.
"Ay, ay!" replied Sanderson, as he proceeded to do what I had asked.
Suddenly the mate began to use his legs, kicking and threshing in the most violent manner. He sprang from my grasp, and attempted to seize me with his teeth; but in another instant I had him by the throat, and jammed the handkerchief into his mouth. A repetition of the discipline we had used in the first place soon restored him to a quiet and orderly state of body, if not of mind. Placing Palmer at his head, with instructions to choke him again if he made any demonstration, I went out into the cabin to ascertain how the matter stood with the Spaniards.
If the passengers had been drunk when they turned in, they appeared to be sober enough now. Our men had dragged one of them into the cabin, while the other was held fast in his berth.
"Gentlemen, any resistance on your part will endanger your lives," I said, producing one of the revolvers taken from their room by the steward.
"What do you mean to do?" demanded the elder of the two, Señor Bartolomé.
"We have concluded not to engage in the slave trade—that's all. Bind your prisoners, my men," I replied.
"What are you going to do with us?" asked the other passenger.