if their own safety required it.

The gregos were removed off the first man, who opened his eyes at the
sight of the candle, but the coxswain's hand was on his mouth--he was
secured in silence. The other two men were awaked, and threw off their
coverings, but they were also secured without there being occasion to
resort to bloodshed.

"What shall we do now, Mesty?"

"Now, sar," said Mesty, "open the after-hatch and watch--suppose more
men come up, we make them fass; suppose no more come up, we wait till
daylight--and see what take place."

Mesty then went forward to see if the men were watchful on the
forecastle; and having again gone round the whole of the deck to see if
there were any more men on it, he blew out the candle, and took his
station with the others at the after-hatchway.

It was just at break of day that the Spaniards who had to keep the
morning watch having woke up, as people generally do at that hour at
which they expect to be called, dressed themselves and came on deck,
imagining, and very truly, that those of the middle watch had fallen
asleep, but little imagining that the deck was in possession of
Englishmen. Mesty and the others retreated, to allow them all to come
up before they could perceive them, and fortunately this was
accomplished. Four men came on the deck, looked round them, and tried
to make out in the dark where their shipmates might be. The grating was
slapped on again by Jack, and before they could well gain their
eyesight, they were seized and secured, not, however, without a scuffle
and some noise.

By the time that these men were secured and laid between the guns it was
daylight, and they now perceived what a fine vessel they had fairly
taken possession of--but there was much to be done yet. There was, of
course, a number of men in the ship, and, moreover, they were not a mile
from a battery of ten guns. Mesty, who was foremost in everything, left
four men abaft and went forward on the forecastle, examined the cable,
which was _coir_ rope, and therefore easily divided, and then directed
the two men forward to coil a hawser upon the fore-grating, the weight
of which would make all safe in that quarter, and afterwards to join
them on the quarter-deck.

"Now, Mr Easy, the great ting will be to get hold of captain; we must
get him on deck. Open cabin-hatch now, and keep the after-hatch fast.
Two men stay there, the others all come aft."

"Yes," replied Jack, "it will be