authority proves sufficient to
protect you from his knife. Take care you make no other enemies among
the men, or I will not be answerable for your safety."

This occurred shortly before sunset, and all through the hot and
breathless night the unhappy negroes were kept toiling at the sweeps in
gangs or relays, the result being that when morning dawned the poor
wretches seemed, one and all, to be utterly worn-out. Yet still there
was no respite for them; and when I again attempted to remonstrate with
Mendouca, that individual simply pointed to the serene, cloudless sky,
with the blazing, merciless sun in the midst, and savagely asked whether
I wanted all hands to perish of hunger and thirst. This occurred while
we were at breakfast; and when we went on deck at the conclusion of the
meal, my enemy the boatswain drew Mendouca's attention to the upper
spars and sails of a ship just rising slowly above the horizon on our
starboard bow. I never saw so sudden a change in a man's demeanour as
took place in that of Mendouca when his eye rested upon that distant
object; hitherto he had been growing every day more savage and morose,
but now his good-humour suddenly returned to him, and, ordering the
brigantine's head to be pointed straight for the stranger, he shouted,
in the gladness of his heart--

"Hurrah, lads, there is relief for us at last! We shall find what we
want--food and water--on board yon stranger, and also a way of
persuading them to let us have it, or I am greatly mistaken!"

The significance of the last part of this remark was, to my mind,
unmistakable. If he could not get by fair means what he wanted,
Mendouca had already made up his mind to take it by force; in other
words, to commit an act of piracy.

I was sorry for the crew of the unlucky craft, for I felt convinced that
Mendouca would have but scant consideration for their future wants while
satisfying his own; yet the sight of the stranger filled me with almost
delirious delight, for here was a chance--if I could but contrive to
avail myself of it--to make my escape from my present surroundings.
True, if I were permitted, or could contrive, to throw in my lot with
those people yonder, I should probably have to face terrible suffering
in the shape of hunger and thirst, but, after all, that would be less
unendurable than my present situation; and I determined that, whatever
might happen, I would certainly make an attempt to join them, always
provide