Part 32 (1/2)

”Yes, father agreed that he would come round as he has done this day, and would contrive to chaffer and bargain with him and keep him so late in the bay that the king's s.h.i.+p should come upon him all of a sudden and take him, and this was father's intention, only you have pinned him.

The king's s.h.i.+p will be round that point in two hours or thereabouts, so if you are found here you will be taken and handed as sure as I ain't hanged yet. Now ain't this important news, and worth all I asked for it?”

”It certainly is, if it is true, boy.”

”Oh, I'll prove it, for I always goes with father, and he trusts me with everything. I saw the paper signed. The king's s.h.i.+p is called the Vestal, and the captain who signed the paper signed it Philip Musgrave.”

”Indeed,” said I, turning away, for I did not wish the boy to perceive my emotion at this announcement. I recovered myself as soon as I could, and said to him, ”Boy, I will keep my promise. Do you stay below, and I will go on deck and plead for your life.”

”Mayn't I go on deck for a bit?” said he.

”What to wish your father good-bye? No, no, you had better spare yourself and him that painful meeting.”

”No, I don't want to wish him good-bye,--I'll wait till it's over, only I never did see a man hanged, and I have a curiosity to have just a peep.”

”Out, you little monster,” cried I, running up on deck, for the information I had received was too important not to be immediately taken advantage of.

”Well, captain, has the boy saved his father's life?”

”No,” replied I, in a loud voice.

”Then, up he goes,” said the men, for the halter had been round his neck and run out to the yard-arm for some time, and the men had manned the rope, only awaiting my return on deck. In a second, the captain of the Transcendant was swinging in the air, and certainly if ever a scoundrel merited his fate it was that man. Shortly afterwards I turned round, and there was the young hopeful looking at his father's body swinging to and fro with the motion of the vessel.

I looked in vain for a tear in his eye; there was not a symptom of emotion. Seeing me look sternly at him, he hastened down below again.

”My lads,” said I to the men, who were all on deck, ”I have received intelligence of that importance that I recommend that we should cut that vessel adrift, and make sail without a moment's loss of time.”

”What, not plunder?” cried the men, looking at the Transcendant.

”No, not think of it, if you are wise.”

At this reply all of the men exclaimed that ”that would not do”--”that plunder they would”--that ”I was not the captain of the vessel,”--and many more expressions, showing how soon a man may lose popularity on board of a pirate vessel.

”I gave my opinion, my men, and if you will hear why I said so--”

”No, no, out boats,” cried they all, and simultaneously ran to lower down the boats, for it was now calm, that they might tow the schooner alongside of the Transcendant.

”You might as well talk to the wind as talk to them when there is plunder to be obtained,” said Toplift to me in a low tone.

”Come down with me,” said I, ”and I will tell you what I have heard.”

”Ain't they going to plunder the brig?” said Master Peleg, when we came down; ”I know where father's dollars are,” and up he ran on deck.

I made a short remark upon the depravity of the boy, and then informed Captain Toplift of what he had told me.

”If you had told them, they would not have paid attention to you. The boat's crew who came with the captain have told them that there is money on board, and all authority is now at an end.”

”Well,” replied I, ”I believe that the boy has told the truth.”

”And what do you mean to do?”