odge might not have deceived a seaman, but it had certainly deceived
me.

"You infernal scoundrel, I have found you out. Look there!" I shouted,
pointing at the piece of iron. As I spoke Kidd let go the tiller, and
quick as lightning gave me a tremendous blow with his fist between the
shoulders, which just missed throwing me head foremost down the
cabin-hatch, and sent me face downward on the deck breathless and half
stunned. Before I could even think of rising, Kidd, who, as he struck,
shouted to Yawl to "kill the Indian," was kneeling on my back with his
fingers round my windpipe.

"At last! I have you now, you conceited jackanapes, you d----d sea-lawyer.
Where have you got them diamonds? You won't answer! Shall I throttle you,
or brain you with this belaying-pin? I'll throttle you; then there'll be
none of your dirty blood to swab up."

With that the villain squeezed my windpipe still tighter, and quite unable
either to struggle or speak, I was giving myself up for lost, when his
hold suddenly relaxed, and groaning deeply, he sank beside me on the deck.
Freed from his weight, I staggered to my feet to find that I owed my life
to Angela, who had used her dagger to such purpose that Kidd was like
never to speak again.

"Ramon! Ramon! Haste, or that man will kill him," she cried, all in a
tremble, and pale with horror at the thought of her own boldness.

Yawl's onslaught was so sudden that the boy had been unable to draw his
_machete_, and after a desperate bout of tugging and straining, the sailor
had got the upper-hand and was now kneeling on Ramon's chest, and feeling
for his knife. Though sorely bruised with my fall, and still gasping for
breath, I ran to the rescue, and gripping Yawl by the shoulders, bore him
backward on the deck. Another moment, and we had him at our mercy; I held
down his head, while Ramon, astride on his body, pinioned his arms.

"Now, look here, Yawl!" I said. "You have tried to commit murder and
deserve to die; your comrade and accomplice is dead, but I will spare your
life on conditions. You must promise to obey my orders as if I were your
captain, and you under articles of war, and help me to work the sloop to
Callao, or some other port on the mainland. In return, I promise not to
bring any charge against you when we get there."

"All right, sir! Kidd was my master, and I obeyed him; now you are my
master and I will obey you."

I quite believed that the old salt was speaking sincere