f the ill-fated
ship.

CHAPTER IX

THE CAPTURE

'Pass the word for not a man to go below, Hawkhurst!' said the
pirate-captain.

'I have, sir; and sentries are stationed at the hatchways. Shall we haul
the schooner off?'

'No, let her remain; the breeze is faint already: we shall have a calm
in half an hour. Have we lost many men?'

'Only seven, that I can reckon; but we have lost Wallace' (the second
mate).

'A little promotion will do no harm,' replied Cain; 'take a dozen of our
best men and search the ship, there are others alive yet. By the bye,
send a watch on board of the schooner; she is left to the mercy of the
Kroumen, and----'

'One who is better out of her,' replied Hawkhurst.

'And those we find below----' continued the mate.

'Alive!'

'True; we may else be puzzled where to find that portion of her cargo
which suits us,' said Hawkhurst, going down the hatchway to collect the
men who were plundering on the main deck and in the captain's cabin.

'Here, you Maltese! up, there! and look well round if there is anything
in sight,' said the captain, walking aft.

Before Hawkhurst had collected the men and ordered them on board of the
schooner, as usual in those latitudes, it had fallen a perfect calm.

Where was Francisco during this scene of blood? He had remained in the
cabin of the schooner. Cain had more than once gone down to him, to
persuade him to come on deck and assist at the boarding of the
Portuguese, but in vain--his sole reply to the threats and solicitations
of the pirate was--

'Do with me as you please--I have made up my mind--you know I do not
fear death--as long as I remain on board of this vessel, I will take no
part in your atrocities. If you do respect my mother's memory, suffer
her son to seek an honest and honourable livelihood.'

The words of Francisco were ringing in the ears of Cain as he walked up
and down on the quarter-deck of the Portuguese vessel, and, debased as
he was, he could not help thinking that the youth was his equal in
animal and his superior in mental courage. He was arguing in his own
mind upon the course he should pursue with respect to Francisco, when
Hawkhurst made his appearance on deck, followed by his men, who dragged
up six individuals who had escaped the massacre. These were the bishop;
his niece; a Portuguese girl, her attendant; the supercargo of the
vessel; a sacristan; and a servant of the ecclesiastic: they were hauled
along the