a great point to secure the captain--
but how are we to get him up?"

"You no know how to get captain up? By de holy, I know very well."

And Mesty took up the coils of rope about the mizzen-mast, and threw
them upon deck, one after another, making all the noise possible. In a
short time there was a violent pull of a bell at the cabin door, and in
a minute afterwards a man in his shirt came up the cabin-hatchway, who
was immediately secured.

"Dis de captain's servant," said Mesty, "he come say no make such damned
noise. Stop a little--captain get in passion, and come up himself."

And Mesty renewed the noise with the ropes over the cabin. Mesty was
right; in a few minutes the captain himself came up, boiling with
indignation. At the sound of the cabin door opening, the seamen and our
hero concealed themselves behind the companion-hatch, which was very
high, so as to give the captain time to get fairly on deck. The men
already secured had been covered over with the gregos. The captain was
a most powerful man, and it was with difficulty that he was pinioned,
and then without his giving the alarm, had there been anyone to assist
him, but as yet no one had turned out of his hammock.

"Now we all right," said Mesty, "and soon ab de ship; but I must make
him 'fraid."

The captain was seated down on the deck against one of the guns, and
Mesty, putting on the look of a demon, extended above him his long
nervous arm, with the sharp knife clutched, as if ready every instant to
strike it into his heart. The Spanish captain felt his situation
anything but pleasant. He was then interrogated as to the number of men
in the ship, officers, etcetera, to all which questions he answered
truly: he cast his eyes at the firm and relentless countenance of Mesty,
who appeared but to wait the signal.

"I tink all pretty safe now," said Mesty. "Mr Easy, we now go down
below and beat all men into the hold."

Our hero approved of this suggestion. Taking their pistols from the
capstern, they rushed down with their cutlasses, and leaving two men to
guard the cabin door, they were soon among the crew, who were all naked
in their hammocks: the resistance, although the numbers were more than
double of the English, was of course trifling. In a few minutes, the
Spaniards were all thrown down into the hold of the vessel, and the
hatches placed over them. Every part of the ship was now in their
possession except the cabin, and to tha