them. "I
cannot help casting my eyes on him, and he is terrible to look upon."
In truth, the man's countenance, distorted with pain, bore a horrible
expression. We dragged the body forward, that his shipmates might
dispose of it as they thought fit. We were so eagerly engaged in
attending to the wounded men, that we did not observe that the vessels
had been cast loose from each other, and that Captain Roderick had
returned on board. We were aroused by hearing his voice issuing orders
to his crew to make sail. We cast a look over the bulwarks, where we
saw the "Arrow," from which we were greatly increasing our distance, her
people busily employed in repairing damages, knotting and splicing the
running rigging, getting fresh yards across, and bending new sails. The
work was still going on when the "Vulture," having made sail and
steering to the south-east, ran her out of sight.

CHAPTER FOUR.

OUR LIFE ON BOARD THE PIRATE SHIP--WE TEND THE WOUNDED--DISCUSS PLANS
FOR ESCAPING--LAND IN SIGHT--ENTER THE RIVER--AT ANCHOR--PREPARATIONS
FOR RECEIVING SLAVES ON BOARD--WOUNDED MEN LANDED--WE ACCOMPANY THEM--
TOM AGREES TO TRY AND ESCAPE WITH US--COMFORTABLY LODGED--SLAVE
BARRACOONS--A VISIT ON BOARD TO SEE TOM--OBTAIN ARMS AND ESCAPE FROM THE
VILLAGE--OUR FLIGHT--REACH A RIVER--FALL IN WITH FRENCH TRADERS--KINDLY
TREATED--INTENDED TREACHERY OF OUR PIRATE COMPANIONS--DEFEATED BY THE
FRENCHMEN--SURPRISED BY A BAND OF SAVAGES--A FEARFUL MASSACRE--SAVED BY
THE MATE OF THE "VULTURE"--AGAIN MADE PRISONERS.

We were treated with more leniency than we could have expected on board
the "Vulture," in consequence, I believe, of our having attended to the
wounded.

"We have no doctor on board, and you and your friends may look after
those fellows, and try to patch them up," said the pirate captain to me
the day after the action. "I cannot spare the boatswain, as he is
wanted to do duty as a seaman. Remember that I might have clapped you
down in the cable-tier, or, had I chosen, made you walk the plank, as
many have done before; but I don't want to have the deaths of more men
than I can help at my door, even though I run the risk of losing my life
in consequence of my leniency."

"We will continue to look after the wounded as long as we are able," I
answered. I thought it prudent not to expend any thanks on him, for
which he would not have cared, nor to show any very great satisfaction
at being left at liberty, as he might h