"Many weeks! I should die in one week. I can't sleep a wink tied to this stanchion," pleaded he.
"I will see what can be done for you in the course of the day," I replied.
"I am in pain."
"So was I last night."
"I have been here ten hours."
"We put you there because there was no other safe place for you," I replied, as I left the steerage.
We had agreed to call all hands during the forenoon, and decide upon our future course. We were all in the dark in regard to the status of things on board. We were not sure whether, in the eye of the law, we were mutineers, or had done our duty in capturing the vessel. I had seen some books in the captain's state-room; and in the hope of obtaining the information we needed, I brought them out into the cabin. Among them were "The Shipmaster's Assistant," and a thin volume of "Naval Laws." In the former I found an abstract of the laws relating to the slave trade, and in the latter the laws themselves. I read both with deep interest, and the result of my study was entirely satisfactory.
While I was thus engaged, Captain York called all hands, and I hastened on deck with the books in my hand. The bark was under easy sail, and going along very comfortably. The man at the wheel, and the one who stood guard over the prisoners, were all that were actually employed. Franklin, the doubtful man, had been released shortly after his capture, and was now one of the most zealous and active of the crew; though, if the battle had gone the other way, I am afraid he would have been just as zealous and active on the other side. The principal men in the conference were York, Sanderson, Baxter, and Walker.
The command of the bark was formally given to York, and all hands promptly assented. The selection of a chief mate proved to be a more difficult matter, for the men were about equally divided in favor of Sanderson and Baxter. The old man was ready to retire from the field, and urged the men to go for Baxter; but the latter, not less magnanimous, waived his own claim in favor of Sanderson.
"We must vote on this question," I suggested.