nother in the
gangways.

[Illustration: Morgan instantly snatched a pistol from de Lussan's hand
and shot the man dead.]

"Don't fire!" they cried in terror. "We'll go back to duty."

Morgan was completely master of the situation.

"I am to be obeyed," he cried, "implicitly, without question, without
hesitation!"

"Ay, ay!"

"We will, we will!"

"That's well. Heave that carrion overboard," kicking the body of the
priest. "Now we'll go back and pick up Sawkins," he continued. "Ready
about, station for stays!"

"Look you, Captain Morgan," cried Hornigold, pointing to leeward. "The
squall! 'Twill be soon on us. We'd best reduce sail and run for it."

"Nay," said Morgan, "I'll allow not even a storm to interfere with my
plans. Flow the head sheets there! Hard down with the helm! Aft, here
some of you, and man the quarter boat. I said I'd pick him up, and
picked up he shall be, in spite of hell!"

The ship, like all Spanish ships, was unhandy and a poor sailor. Morgan,
however, got all out of her that mortal man could get. With nice
seamanship he threw her up into the wind, hove her to, and dropped a
boat overboard. Teach had volunteered for the perilous command of her
and the best men on the ship were at the oars. Sawkins had managed to
catch the grating and was clinging feebly when the boat swept down upon
him. They dragged him aboard and then turned to the ship. The sinister
squall was rushing down upon them from the black horizon with terrific
velocity. The men bent their backs and strained at the oars as never
before. It did not seem possible that they could beat the wind. The men
on the ship beseeched Morgan to fill away and abandon their comrades.

"No!" he cried. "I sent them there and I'll wait for them if I sink the
ship!"

Urged by young Teach to exertion superhuman, the boat actually shot
under the quarter of the galleon before the squall broke. The tackles
were hooked on and she was run up to the davits with all her crew
aboard.

"Up with the helm!" cried Morgan the instant the boat was alongside.
"Swing the mainyard and get the canvas off her. Aloft, topmen, settle
away the halliards! Clew down! Lively, now!"

And as the ship slowly paid off and gathered away the white squall broke
upon them. The sea was a-smother with mist and rain. The wind whipped
through the shrouds and rigging, but everything held. Taking a great
bone in her teeth the old _Almirante Recalde_ heeled far over to leeward
a