ard-arm, and there's the sea alongside.'

"Toney was now allowed to go forward and enjoy a good blow out, which he
much needed. He felt more like himself afterwards. He soon showed that
there was not a better seaman aboard.

"Nothing particular occurred to show the character of the vessel. Joe
kept out of his way until he got into a better temper, and they became
very good friends again. They ran to the southward till they were in
the latitude of the Guinea Coast, when they fell in with a craft, into
which they discharged part of their cargo in exchange for some bags of
gold. They now carried on in a strange way, chasing several vessels,
capturing some and taking their cargoes out of them, in spite of what
their crews could say, afterwards putting them on board a Spanish or a
Portuguese craft and getting doubloons in exchange. Their guns and
their numerous crew made resistance impossible. They were wonderfully
successful in their proceedings, until one day they fell in with a
British frigate and had to up stick and run for it. The African coast
had become too hot for them, so they stood away for the Caribbean Sea
and Spanish Main. Here they carried on worse than before. The crews of
all vessels which resisted were made to walk the plank, and the vessels,
after everything had been taken out worth having, were sent to the
bottom.

"Toney, being an honest man, could not stand this; but he knew that,
being tarred with the same brush, if taken he would share the fate of
the rest. He determined to cut and run on the first opportunity. A
strict watch was kept on him; and Joe, who knew his thoughts, hinted
that the yard-arm would be his fate if he made the attempt and failed.
Still he was resolved to try and get off, but the matter was settled for
him in a way he little expected. The brigantine, during a heavy gale
one night, was struck by lightning and blew up, Toney and two others
only finding themselves floating among the wreck. Joe Gubbins was one
of these. Toney managed to get hold of the mainmast and clambered into
the top, where he got his legs out of the water and was trying to help
Joe Gubbins, when Joe, with a shriek, disappeared. The other man shared
the same fate. Toney expected to die, but the next day he was picked up
by an English sloop-of-war; and as he took care not to give a very clear
account of the craft he had been aboard of, he was allowed to enter as
one of her crew. Here he met Roger