he succeeded in wrenching himself free from the men's clutches and,
staggering to his feet, made another dart for the ship's side. But he
was pounced upon again, and once more they all fell upon the deck
together.

A taunting laugh rang out from the group of bound ruffians who were
awaiting their fate, and stung the English sailors to madness. That one
man, and he partly bound, should keep four stalwart seamen at bay was
too much for their temper. They rushed at the pirate again, and this
time seized him securely; then, tripping him up, they slipped a running
bowline over his ankles and hauled it taut, thus rendering the man
helpless. Yet even then they could scarcely keep their grip on him, so
enormous was the strength with which he turned and twisted in their
grip.

At length, after an infinity of trouble, they succeeded in dragging him
to the forecastle; the running noose attached to the whip was brought up
to the pirate and slipped over his neck; Cavendish then gave the signal,
the gun was fired, the men holding the end of the whip ran aft, the
seamen holding the man sprang aside, and the pirate's body, still
struggling and writhing, went flying aloft, to stop presently with a
jerk as it reached the jewel-block, and dangle at the end of the fore
yard-arm, still plunging and struggling with such violence that the yard
itself fairly shook. It was some considerable time before the struggles
ceased. The body was allowed to hang a little longer, and then the rope
was cut, and the corpse plunged downward into the sea among the sharks,
whose clashing teeth and noisy splashes gave conclusive evidence as to
the whereabouts of the pirate's last resting-place.

The remainder of the ruffians betrayed not the slightest emotion at the
terrible fate of their leader, but went silently and calmly to their
doom, without struggling as their captain had done; and very soon the
dread ceremony was over, and the pirates had met their deserts.

The only matter that now remained was the destruction of the notorious
_Black Pearl_.

Powder and shot there were in plenty, on board the squadron; so Mr
Cavendish decided to give his ships' crews a little practice in gunnery.
By this time also the necessary repairs to the vessels engaged had been
executed, and all was now in readiness for the resumption of the cruise.
Sail was therefore made, and the vessels drew off to a distance of
about three-quarters of a mile, when they hove-to an