where his
fellow-slaves awaited him in deep anxiety and some hope.

CHAPTER IX. THE REBELS-CONVICT

There were, when the purple gloom of the tropical night descended upon
the Caribbean, not more than ten men on guard aboard the Cinco Llagas,
so confident--and with good reason--were the Spaniards of the complete
subjection of the islanders. And when I say that there were ten men on
guard, I state rather the purpose for which they were left aboard than
the duty which they fulfilled. As a matter of fact, whilst the main body
of the Spaniards feasted and rioted ashore, the Spanish gunner and his
crew--who had so nobly done their duty and ensured the easy victory of
the day--were feasting on the gun-deck upon the wine and the fresh meats
fetched out to them from shore. Above, two sentinels only kept vigil, at
stem and stern. Nor were they as vigilant as they should have been, or
else they must have observed the two wherries that under cover of the
darkness came gliding from the wharf, with well-greased rowlocks, to
bring up in silence under the great ship's quarter.

From the gallery aft still hung the ladder by which Don Diego had
descended to the boat that had taken him ashore. The sentry on guard in
the stern, coming presently round this gallery, was suddenly confronted
by the black shadow of a man standing before him at the head of the
ladder.

"Who's there?" he asked, but without alarm, supposing it one of his
fellows.

"It is I," softly answered Peter Blood in the fluent Castillan of which
he was master.

"Is it you, Pedro?" The Spaniard came a step nearer.

"Peter is my name; but I doubt I'll not be the Peter you're expecting."

"How?" quoth the sentry, checking.

"This way," said Mr. Blood.

The wooden taffrail was a low one, and the Spaniard was taken completely
by surprise. Save for the splash he made as he struck the water,
narrowly missing one of the crowded boats that waited under the counter,
not a sound announced his misadventure. Armed as he was with corselet,
cuissarts, and headpiece, he sank to trouble them no more.

"Whist!" hissed Mr. Blood to his waiting rebels-convict. "Come on, now,
and without noise."

Within five minutes they had swarmed aboard, the entire twenty of them
overflowing from that narrow gallery and crouching on the quarter-deck
itself. Lights showed ahead. Under the great lantern in the prow they
saw the black figure of the other sentry, pacing on the forecastle. Fr