“Den, Mr. Easy,” replied Mesty, changing his countenance to an expression almost demoniacal—“there no help for it,”—and Mesty showed his knife which he held in his right hand.
“Oh no! do not let us murder them.”
“No, massa—suppose can help it; but suppose they get upper hand—what become of us? Spaniards hab knives, and use dem too, by de power!”
The observation of Mesty was correct, and the expression of his countenance when he showed his knife proved what a relentless enemy he could be, if his blood was once roused—but Mesty had figured in the Ashantee wars in former days, and after that the reader need not be surprised. They proceeded cautiously to where the Spaniards lay. The arrangements of Mesty were very good. There were two men to gag them while the others were to tie their limbs. Mesty and Easy were to kneel by them with the candle, with raised knives to awe them into silence, or to strike home, if their own safety required it.
The gregos were removed off the first man, who opened his eyes at the sight of the candle, but the coxswain’s hand was on his mouth—he was secured in silence. The other two men were awaked, and threw off their coverings, but they were also secured without there being occasion to resort to bloodshed.
“What shall we do now, Mesty?”
“Now, sar,” said Mesty, “open the after—hatch and watch—suppose more men come up, we make them fass; suppose no more come up, we wait till daylight—and see what take place.”
Mesty then went forward to see if the men were watchful on the forecastle; and having again gone round the whole of the deck to see if there were any more men on it, he blew out the candle, and took his station with the others at the after—hatchway.
It was just at break of day that the Spaniards who had to keep the morning watch having woke up, as people generally do at that hour at which they expect to be called, dressed themselves and came on deck, imagining, and very truly, that those of the middle watch had fallen asleep, but little imagining that the deck was in possession of Englishmen. Mesty and the others retreated, to allow them all to come up before they could perceive them, and fortunately this was accomplished. Four men came on the deck, looked round them, and tried to make out in the dark where their shipmates might be. The grating was slapped on again by Jack, and before they could well gain their eyesight, they were seized and secured, not however without a scuffle and some noise.
By the time that these men were secured and laid between the guns it was daylight, and they now perceived what a fine vessel they had fairly taken possession of—but there was much to be done yet. There was, of course, a number of men in the ship, and moreover they were not a mile from a battery of ten guns. Mesty, who was foremost in everything, left four men abaft and went forward on the forecastle, examined the cable, which was coir rope, and therefore easily divided, and then directed the two men forward to coil a hawser upon the fore—grating, the weight of which would make all safe in that quarter, and afterwards to join them on the quarter—deck.
“Now, Mr. Easy, the great ting will be to get hold of captain; we must get him on deck. Open cabin—hatch now, and keep the after—hatch fast. Two men stay there, the others all come aft.”
“Yes,” replied Jack, “it will be a great point to secure the captain—but how are we to get him up?”
“You no know how to get captain up? By de holy, I know very well.”
And Mesty took up the coils of rope about the mizzen-mast, and threw them upon deck, one after another, making all the noise possible. In a short time, there was a violent pull of a bell at the cabin—door, and in a minute afterwards a man in his shirt came up the cabin— hatchway, who was immediately secured.