”‘Will you join us?’ said Hallton.
“The mate was a brave fellow.
”‘No!’ he exclaimed with a firm voice; ‘never!’
”‘Let go,’ cried Hallton, with an oath, ‘he would have hung us if he could.’
“The man jumped off the plank. Not a cry escaped the mate, as, with a sullen splash, he fell into the sea, and sank immediately.
“The deeds of horror which followed I will not describe.
“The ship was now entirely in the power of a gang of the most murderous ruffians who ever dared the vengeance of Heaven.
“During all this time the eldest of the three young ladies lay senseless on the deck; but what had become of Julie and her sister I knew not. A minute afterwards I heard a shriek; I opened my eyes; Julie herself rushed on deck. She cast one terrified glance around—not a friendly eye met her sight.
“She saw me bleeding, and apparently dead; she would have thrown herself down near me”; but she encountered Hallton on the way. Darting from his grasp, before any one could stop her, she fled aft, and threw herself over the taffrail into the sea. Hallton immediately ordered a boat to be lowered, but the falls were unrove, and it was some time before it was in the water, and the brig hove up into the wind. Oh! what an agony I was in! I did not wish her to be saved.
“I could only hear Brand shouting to the men in the boat, and pointing out to them the direction they were to pull; I watched every movement anxiously; I conjectured that she was still struggling in the waves—love of life triumphing over her fears—and probably kept up by her garments.