“What?” asked Adair, surprised.
“That my hand should have done that,” answered Jack, gravely; “to know that one has been killing people is bad enough, but to see them afterwards—oh, I wish that I hadn’t done it!”
“Then, you see, Jack, the slaver would have got off, and taken 300 or 400, or more, poor black people away from their homes and families, a third of whom would have probably died miserably on board, and the rest would have been destined to spend their lives in abject slavery, and to become the parents of a race of slaves. Those Spaniards, or Portuguese, or whatever they are, have brought about their own deaths. Every shot you fired contributed to prevent a vast amount of wretchedness and suffering.”
Leaving the wounded man to Wasser’s care, they went below to examine their prize. They found that she was fully equipped for carrying 700 or 800 slaves, instead of only 300 or 400, as Terence had supposed. She had two brass guns, an ample supply of arms and ammunition of every sort, so that she was as well able to act the pirate as the slaver. They could not decide what to do with her. They feared if they left her that her crew would return and burn her, while at the same time they were anxious to get back to the frigate. After waiting some time their course was decided by seeing the Ranger in the offing.
“Terence,” said Jack, “you must go off to her. Leave me and the rifles, with Dick Needham to load them; and if the pirates appear I will keep them at bay till you return.”
In vain Terence expostulated. Jack would have it so, and he was compelled to obey.
Thus were Jack and sturdy Dick Needham left alone on board the stranded vessel. They watched the gig as she pulled away, till she was lost in the distance.
“Now, Needham,” said Jack, “if the pirates come back, which is more than likely, we must be prepared to give them a warm reception. See you load the rifles and I’ll fire them.” Jack very quickly got over his scruples about killing his enemies.
“Ay, ay, sir,” answered Dick, not at first quite comprehending what a warm reception meant. “But, sir, as they’ve left plenty of ammunition on board and these two brass guns, besides no end of muskets, we might give ’em a warmer still. If you think fit, sir, we’ll load the guns with langrage, and range the muskets along the deck; and then any spare moment when you are using the rifles I might be popping them off.”
Jack highly approved of Dick’s notion, and only wished that the slaver’s crew would come back, that he might carry it into execution. They both had been so busy that they had not thought of the poor wretched Spaniard. Suddenly Jack recollected him. He had been placed in the shade, under the poop-deck. He was still breathing.