At that moment the two ships were ringing with cheers. The Spencer Englishmen, the short-handed crew of the Sinclair, and, most uproariously of all, the liberated American sailors, who were pouring up from the hold, let out all the voices they had. It was an extraordinary scene to take place on the deck of a vessel just captured by bloodthirsty privateers. The women and children ceased their crying, and then the men passengers came forward to find out what was the matter. Ten words of explanation were given, and then even they were laughing merrily. The dreaded pirate schooner had only brought the much needed supply of sailors, and there was no real harm in her.
A search below for cash and other valuables of a quickly movable character was going forward with all haste, nevertheless, while the liberated tars of both nations transferred themselves and their effects to either vessel.
"Not much cash," said Captain Avery, "but I've found a couple of extra compasses and a prime chronometer that I wanted. The prisoners are the best o' this prize, and how I'm to stow 'em and quarter 'em, I don't exactly know. We must steer straight for Brest, I think."
"Captain," said Guert, coming to him a little anxiously, "off to looard! Boats!"
The captain was startled.
"Boats? From the seventy-four?" he exclaimed. "That means mischief! All hands on board the Noank! Call 'em up from below! Tally! Don't miss a man! Drop all you can't carry!"
The skipper of the Sinclair was looking contemptuously at his bewildered passengers.
"The whimperingest lot I ever sailed with," he remarked of them; and then he sang out, to be heard by all: "Captain Avery! Did you say you were going to scuttle my ship, or set her afire?"
"Both!" responded the captain. "Jest as soon's I get good and ready. I'll show ye!"
"You bloodthirsty monster!" burst from one of the older ladies. "All of you Americans are pirates! Worse than pirates!"