uths I knew him also for what he was--a
cruel, cold-blooded monster, yet a genius in crime, and a natural
leader of such men as these. _Black Sanchez!_ All the unspeakable
horror which in the past had clung to that name came back again to
haunt me; I seemed to hear once more the tales of men who had escaped
from his grip alive; to see again the scenes they had witnessed. It
could not seem possible that I was actually upon one of his ships, in
the very midst of his wild crew. I listened to their comments, their
expectations, with swiftly beating heart. I alone knew what that boat
was bringing. And when it arrived, and they knew also, what would
these sea wolves say? What would they do? What would be the result
when the dead body of their leader came up over the rail?

For a few moments we could perceive nothing through the black night.
The clouds were rolling low, thickened by vapor, and the increasing
wind had already beaten the waves into crests of foam. We could hear
them crash against the stout sides of the bark, which leaped to their
impetus, yet was held in helpless captivity by the two anchors. The
deck under foot tossed dizzily, the bare masts swaying above, while
our ears could distinguish the sullen roar of breakers tumbling up on
the sand just astern. Overhead ropes rattled noisily, the sound
mingling with the flapping ends of loosened sails beating against the
yards. LeVere shouted an order, and a sudden flare was lighted
amidships, the circle of flame illumining a part of the deck, and
spreading out over the wild expanse of water. The seaman holding the
blazing torch aloft, and thrusting it forth across the rail, took on
the appearance of a black statue, as motionless as though carved from
ebony, while in the gleam the various groups of men became visible,
lined up along the port bulwarks, all staring in the one direction,
eagerly seeking a first glimpse of the approaching craft.

Scarcely had a minute elapsed before it came sweeping into the radius
of light--at first a dim, spectral shadow, scarcely to be recognized;
then, almost as suddenly, revealed in all its details--a boat of size,
flying toward us under a lug sail, standing out hard as a board,
keeling well over, and topping the sea swells like a bird on wing.
'Twas a beautiful sight as the craft came sweeping on before the full
weight of the wind, out from that background of gloom into the yellow
glare of the torch, circling widely so as to more saf