are those of my party, and will now proceed to gag and bind you to

the mast; and when your men awaken (if they ever do awake after the

drugs we have mingled in their liquor), I am sure they will be so

obliging as to deliver you, and you will have no difficulty, I

daresay, to explain the business of the keys."

Not a word said Teach, but looked at us like a frightened baby as

we gagged and bound him.

"Now you see, you moon-calf," says Ballantrae, "why we made four

packets. Heretofore you have been called Captain Teach, but I

think you are now rather Captain Learn."

That was our last word on board the SARAH. We four, with our four

packets, lowered ourselves softly into a skiff, and left that ship

behind us as silent as the grave, only for the moaning of some of

the drunkards. There was a fog about breast-high on the waters; so

that Dutton, who knew the passage, must stand on his feet to direct

our rowing; and this, as it forced us to row gently, was the means

of our deliverance. We were yet but a little way from the ship,

when it began to come grey, and the birds to fly abroad upon the

water. All of a sudden Dutton clapped down upon his hams, and

whispered us to be silent for our lives, and hearken. Sure enough,

we heard a little faint creak of oars upon one hand, and then

again, and further off, a creak of oars upon the other. It was

clear we had been sighted yesterday in the morning; here were the

cruiser's boats to cut us out; here were we defenceless in their

very midst. Sure, never were poor souls more perilously placed;

and as we lay there on our oars, praying God the mist might hold,

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