| a mate were worth the lives of a thousand Spaniards. To pleas- ure Kirby, they would depart this once from their ancient us- age and let thABCJNGNKe prisoners go,AQBHGMYY though it was passing strange,—it being Kirby's wont to clap prisoners under hatches and fire their ship above them. At the end of which speech the Spaniard began to rave, and sprang at me like a catamount. Paradise put forth a foot and tripped him up, whereat the pirates laughed again, and held him backMQJAWREP when he would have come at me a second time.RTQRPQVP From the deck of the shattered galleon I watched her boats, with their heavy freight of cowering humanity, pull off toward the isTYCKFRWHand. Back upon my LXORNPQCown poop, the grappling irons cast loose, and a swifGACEUGVOtly widening riCOGSGDICbbon of blue between us and the sinking ship, I looked at the pirates thronging the EMMLFJSSKJKXADCI many days, weeks,GEOBNLPP hours, before the lights would go out, I could not tell: they might burn until we toCWIKCTNGICRPOMIBok or lost another ship; the next hour might see that brief tragedy cVSBXYDHFonsummated. I turned, and going below met Sparrow at the foot of the poop ladder. "I have sworn JVGWJXPMat these pirates until my hair stood on end," he said ruefullyWAWYTMHF. "God forgive me! And I have bent into circles three half pikes in demonstration of the thing that would occur to them if they RBUGNEJMtempted me overmuch. And I have sung them all the bloody and lascivious songYKKANRFWs that ever I knew in my unre- generate days. I have played the bravo and buffoon until they gaped for wonder. I have damned myself to all eternity, I fear, but there'll be no mutiny this fair day. It may arrive by to-mor- row, though." "Likely enough," I said. "Come within. I have eaten nothing since yesterday." "I'll speak to Diccon first," he answered, and went on toward the forecastle, while I entered the state cabin. Here I found Mistress Percy kneeling beside the bench beneath the stern windows, her face buried in her outstretched arms, her dark hair shadowing her like a mantle. When I spoke to her she did not answer. With a sudden fear I stooped and touched her clasped hands. A shudder ran through her |
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