n Mary saw me. She
uttered a cry of surprise, for she recognised me at once. It attracted
her father's attention. His cutlass was struck from his grasp by Jones,
the two mates were knocked down, and all further resistance was at an
end.

This easy victory prevented the pirates from being as bloodthirsty as
they might otherwise have proved; but, as a precautionary measure, Jones
ordered both the officers and crew to be bound to the masts and rigging
while the ship was being searched.

I had rushed aft, in the hopes of being of some assistance to Captain
Dean should he have required it--how, I scarcely knew. I thought I
would have interposed my body, should a sword have been raised to strike
him: When I saw him no longer making any defence and uninjured, I
stopped, and was endeavouring to turn away to consider what I should do;
but Mary's eye had followed me, and, as she saw me approaching, she
uttered my name in his ear. On losing his sword, he had thrown himself
on one of the hen-coops placed against the bulwarks, where he lay,
clasping his child in his arms; and even the pirates seemed to respect
him, for no one molested him.

Most of the pirates were engaged in dragging the prisoners to the masts
to bind them. Jones had gone into the cabin. I saw that no one was
observing me. I hurried past my old friends. "Hush," I whispered, in a
voice they could just hear; "I am honest still. Do not recognise me--I
will save you if I can!"

"I knew he was true and good," said Mary, kissing her father, and trying
to turn her eyes from me.

What courage did her words give me! That sweet child's trusting
friendship was a reward for all I had suffered. I resolved to abstain
still from the evil courses to which my companions were endeavouring to
lead me. I gave a glance over the stern, as if I had been looking to
see what had become of the gig which had boarded at that end of the
ship, and I again passed my friends without noticing them. I guessed
that Mark Anthony would have been watching me, and I was right.

"What, you like pirating, Massa Peter! You run about like little dog,
quite frisky--not know what to do," he remarked, with a grin. He was
fond of giving things their proper names. Jones would have been
horrified at being called a pirate; and even Hawk did not like the term,
though in his bitter moments he used it.

"I have no help for it," I answered, with, I hope, excusable duplicity.
"The fact is, Mar