"Suffer for it! Madre di dios, no, senor! What does the senor mean? Surely he will not hang me for——"
"The senor will not hang you," said Clif, unable to help smiling at the blustering fellow's terror.
"Then what will the senor do?"
"He will tie you like Ignacio."
The man was evidently relieved, but he protested volubly. He did not want to be tied.
"Is it customary?" he cried.
"No," said Clif; "neither is it customary to try to assassinate an officer. After that I think common prudence requires it."
"But," cried the man, angrily. "I will not submit! Por dios, I will not——"
"You will either submit or be made to," said Clif, "or else sink to the bottom."
And so the man had to give up. Those two delighted tars went the rounds and tied every single man on that vessel hand and foot. And they tied them tight, too, occasionally giving them a dig in the ribs for good measure.