unk, she got away, and I would
bless the saints under my breath. Teach ruled, if you can call that rule
which brought no order, by the terror he created; and I observed the
man was very vain of his position. I have known marshals of France--ay,
and even Highland chieftains--that were less openly puffed up; which
throws a singular light on the pursuit of honour and glory. Indeed, the
longer we live, the more we perceive the sagacity of Aristotle and the
other old philosophers; and though I have all my life been eager for
legitimate distinctions, I can lay my hand upon my heart, at the end of
my career, and declare there is not one--no, nor yet life itself--which
is worth acquiring or preserving at the slightest cost of dignity.

It was long before I got private speech of Ballantrae; but at length one
night we crept out upon the boltsprit, when the rest were better
employed, and commiserated our position.

"None can deliver us but the saints," said I.

"My mind is very different," said Ballantrae; "for I am going to deliver
myself. This Teach is the poorest creature possible; we make no profit
of him, and lie continually open to capture; and," says he, "I am not
going to be a tarry pirate for nothing, nor yet to hang in chains if I
can help it." And he told me what was in his mind to better the state of
the ship in the way of discipline, which would give us safety for the
present, and a sooner hope of deliverance when they should have gained
enough and should break up their company.

I confessed to him ingenuously that my nerve was quite shook amid these
horrible surroundings, and I durst scarce tell him to count upon me.

"I am not very easy frightened," said he, "nor very easy beat."

A few days after there befell an accident which had nearly hanged us
all; and offers the most extraordinary picture of the folly that ruled
in our concerns. We were all pretty drunk: and some bedlamite spying a
sail, Teach put the ship about in chase without a glance, and we began
to bustle up the arms and boast of the horrors that should follow. I
observed Ballantrae stood quiet in the bows, looking under the shade of
his hand; but for my part, true to my policy among these savages, I was
at work with the busiest, and passing Irish jests for their diversion.

"Run up the colours!" cried Teach. "Show the ----s the Jolly Roger!"

It was the merest drunken braggadocio at such a stage, and might have
lost us a valuable prize; but I tho