oving him. He seemed stern, harsh, and violent.

After we had all been bound, I saw the captain of the pirate ship
consulting with his men; evidently they were deciding what to do with
us, and there seemed some difference of opinion. Presently the captain
inspected us one by one. We were by no means as fine a crew as our
conquerors, not simply in numbers, but in kind. We were made up of
different nationalities, and I was the only Englishman among the whole
number. There were Greeks, Arabs, Turks, and one or two Austrians
among us. The captain and the mates were all Greeks, and the ship
belonged to a Greek company. Most of the men were small in bone, and
while strong and wiry, were by no means striking in appearance.

After he had looked at us some time, there was another consultation,
and at length they decided what to do, and we saw that preparations
were being made. Eagerly I scanned the sea, but not a sail was in
sight, no help was near, and careless as I had been about danger my
heart felt heavy.

With blanched faces our men saw a plank which reached a few yards into
the sea, placed on the vessel's deck, and with beating hearts we saw
the officers of our ship bound.

I will not try and describe the scene. Hard and rough as I was, it was
terrible to see men killed in cold blood. In vain the captain pleaded
that he had a wife and little ones. No mercy was shown, and, although
we dreaded the sight, our eyes were drawn, as if by a magnet, to see
the men who had commanded us walking to their death. Even now their
awful shrieks as they fell into the sea ring in my ears. And we were
all bound, unable to help them, and waiting for a similar doom.

Then we saw what caused us common sailors hope. A good-sized boat was
lowered, and provisions were placed in it; and one by one, the men were
told to board it, This they gladly did, until I was left alone. I was
preparing to follow, when the captain came up to me. He took a long
look at me and then spoke to his men. I had picked up enough of
Spanish during the years I had been away to understand an ordinary
conversation, so I followed every word he said. His opinion was that I
should make a splendid addition to their crew, and that it was a pity I
should be lost to them.

"Your name?" he said to me abruptly.

"Richard Tretheway!"

"Ah, you are English?"

"Yes."

"How long since you were there?"

"Eight years."

"Why have you kept away from your ho