Again the captain gnashed his teeth and made an effort to free himself. “It’s all of no use, captain,” said Tubbs. “I don’t want to take your life, but if you don’t keep quiet, I shall be obliged to draw my knife across your windpipe.”
The captain evidently fully believed that the boatswain intended to do what he threatened.
“You’ve treated us with less severity than we might have expected, Captain Roderick,” said Harry. “Will you give us your word that you will not again attempt to destroy the ship, or to attack any of the people who have captured her, and we will conduct you into a cabin where you must remain until to-morrow, or until you are set at liberty?” Captain Roderick made no reply.
All this time the ship, I should have said, had been rolling and pitching, and it was very evident that she had broken loose from the man-of-war. It might possibly be that the pirates had gained the upper hand, but the appearance of Captain Roderick below convinced us to the contrary. At length the sounds I have described ceased, although there was a continuous tramping of feet overhead, and the rattling of blocks and yards.
“They are shortening sail,” observed Tubbs; “we shall soon have some one below to relieve us of this gentleman, and I’m thankful to say I don’t believe the ship’s going down just yet. If he had thought she was, he wouldn’t have taken the trouble to try and blow her up.”
We could see Captain Roderick’s eyes glaring at us, but Tubbs held him too tight by the throat to allow him to speak. So violent were his struggles, however, that he nearly got one of his arms loose, on which Tom tightened his grip until the pirate captain was nearly black in the face. In spite of this, giving a sudden jerk, he freed the arm Harry was holding down, when three persons appeared at the door. One was, I saw, a naval officer, by his uniform—the other two, seamen. I shouted to them to come to my assistance, and seeing what we were about, they sprang forward.
“Get some rope and lash this man; he is mad, I believe,” I cried out.
“Go and get it,” said the officer. One of the sailors sprang on deck, while the two newcomers assisted us in keeping down the infuriated pirate. He was, I fully believed, from the almost supernatural strength he exhibited, mad.
The seaman quickly returned with a coil of rope, with which the officer and his men, aided by Tubbs, soon lashed Captain Roderick’s arms and legs in a way which prevented him from moving until he was secured to the mizenmast, which came through the cabin, when we felt that we were safe from his attacks. I had not hitherto looked into the countenance of the officer, nor he into mine. What was my surprise, then, to see a face I well knew.
“Charley!” I exclaimed.