“Not know what they say,” answered Charley.
“I suppose, however, that they will give us something to eat and drink,” observed Dick. “And so, whoever they may be, we shall be better off than on the raft.”
On getting alongside, Dick was hoisted on board, and one of the men carried Charley up in his arms.
Numerous questions were at once put to Dick, every one seeming anxious to know how he and the boy came to be on the raft. He replied by pointing to his lips, and showing by other signs that he was hungry and thirsty. When it was discovered that he was either too weak to speak, or that he did not understand their language, he was carried below and placed in a hammock, while the officers took charge of little Charley, who was soon at home among them. A rough-looking fellow brought Dick a mess of some sort in basin, and a horn cup filled with stiff grog. A sailor seldom refuses a glass of grog, and although water was what he then wanted, he drank the spirit off, and ate some of the food. The effect of the grog was to send him into a sound sleep, from which he did not awake till the next day. He felt by that time pretty strong, and, turning out, went on deck. He found that he was on board a flush-decked ship-rigged vessel, heavily armed, with a numerous crew of dark-skinned savage-looking fellows, most of them wearing long knives or daggers in their belts. He thought that perhaps they might be Spaniards or Portuguese, then the idea occurred to him that they were Algerines or Salee rovers, of whom he had heard. However, seeing some of them with leaden crucifixes round their necks, he came to the conclusion that they were Spaniards. Not one of them could speak a word of English, and Dick was ignorant of every language except his own.
The ship lying becalmed, the crew seemed to take it very easily, some sitting down between the guns, amusing themselves with cards or dice, while others were asleep on the deck. Going aft, and looking down the skylight, which was open, Dick saw that the officers were employed much as their men, only they were gambling with large gold pieces as stakes.
“These may be honest gentlemen, or may be not,” he thought to himself. “However, if they are kind to Charley, I don’t mind what they are, and I suppose for his sake they won’t make me walk the plank. I wonder where the little chap can be,” and he looked down the companion-hatch, though he did not venture to descend.
The officer of the watch seemed to understand what he wanted, and going to the head of the companion-ladder, shouted out, “Pedro!” and some other words, and presently a black man appeared with Charley in his arms, and handed him over to Dick.
“Much obliged to you, friend,” said Dick; “he is a fine little chap, isn’t he?”
The black grinned and seemed to understand him, and patted the child on the head.
“Well, Charley, my boy, have they treated you well?” asked Dick, as he took up the child and kissed him affectionately.