-there wasn't one to cast a reproachful
look at me or to taunt me with cowardice. I just stood alone; there
weren't no one to back me up in choosing to die rather than to serve,
and so I says, 'I will join you, captain.' I don't say I was right, lad;
I don't say I didn't act as a coward; but I think most young chaps with
my bringing up, and placed as I was, would have done the same. There's
many as would have said 'no' if they had had comrades and friends
looking on, but I don't think there's many as would have said 'no' if
they had stood all alone as I did.

"I can't say as I blame myself much about that business, though I have
thought it over many a score of times; but anyhow, from the first I made
up my mind that at the very first chance I would get away from them. I
knew the chance wasn't likely to come for some time--still there it was;
and during all the black scenes I took part in on board that ship I was
always telling myself that I was there against my will.

"It was the brig as I was to go in. And as soon as that little matter of
the crew was settled all hands set to work to shift the cargo from the
ship aboard the pirates. Wonderful quick they did it too; and when I
thought how long that cargo had taken to get on board, it was wonderful
how soon they whipped it out of her. When they had stripped her of all
they thought worth taking, they ran one of the cannon to the open hatch,
loaded it and crammed it full of balls to the muzzle; then they pointed
it down the hold and fired it, and were soon on board their own craft.

"The charge must have torn a great hole in the ship's bottom, for I
could see she was settling down in the water before we had left her five
minutes, and in a quarter of an hour she gave a sudden lurch and sank.
As I was in for it now, I knew the best thing was to put a good face
on it, so I lent a hand at shifting the cargo and did my best to seem
contented. We sailed off in company, and in the morning when I came on
deck I found the two craft riding side by side in a land locked harbor.

"A few minutes later the boats were lowered and the work of getting the
cargo on shore began. It was clear enough that this was the pirates'
headquarters; for there were lots of huts built on the sloping sides of
the inlet, and a number of men and women stood gathered on the shore to
receive us as we landed. The women were of all countries, English and
French, Dutch, Spaniards, and Portuguese, with a good s