more
sea-miles to the west since the battle, and were lying somewhere off the
little port of New York.

The day passed, Job amusing Jeremy with tales of his adventures and old
sea-yarns and soon night had overtaken them again. This time the boy had
the first nap. He was roused to take his watch when Job saw by the stars
that it was eight bells, and, still yawning with sleep, the lad went to
stand by the rail. Everything was quiet on the sea, and even the swell
had died out, leaving a perfect calm. There was no moon. The boy's head
sank on his breast and softly he slid to the deck. Drowsiness had
overcome him so gently that he slept before he knew he was sleepy.

CHAPTER X

Jeremy's first waking sensation was the sound of a hoarse confused shout
and the rattle of oars being shipped. He struggled to his feet, staring
into the dark astern. Almost at the same instant there came a series of
bumps along the sloop's side, and as the boy rushed to the hatch to call
his ally, he heard feet pounding the deck. "Job!" he cried, "Job!" and
then a heavy hand smote him on the mouth and he lost consciousness for a
time.

The period during which he stood awake and terrified had been so brief
and so fraught with terror that it never seemed real to the lad in
memory. There was something of the awful hopelessness of nightmare about
it. Always afterward he had difficulty in convincing himself that he had
not slept steadily from the time he drowsed on watch to the minute when
he opened his eyes to the light of morning and felt his aching head
throb against the hard deck.

As he lay staring at the sky, a footstep approached and some one stood
over him. He turned his eyes painfully to look and beheld the dark,
bearded visage of George Dunkin, the bo's'n, who scowled angrily and
kicked him in the ribs with a heavy toe. "Get up, ye young lubber!"
roared the man and swore fiercely as the boy, unable to move, still lay
upon his back. A moment later the bo's'n went away. To Jeremy's numb
consciousness came the realization that the pirates had caught them
again.

The words of the Captain on his first day aboard came back to the lad
and made him shudder. There had been stories current among the men that
gave a glimpse of how Stede Bonnet dealt with those who were
treacherous. Which of a dozen awful deaths was in store for him? Ah, if
only they would spare the torture, he thought that he could die bravely,
a worthy scion of dauntless