an
that which at that moment presented itself to me. I quietly emerged
from my place of concealment and, once more crouching low among the
ferns, crept slowly and with infinite caution toward the somnolent Jose,
gradually working my way round until I could just see him clear of the
corner of the capstan-house. Some twenty minutes of this work brought
me right up to the gable end of the building, from which position I
again reconnoitred Jose. He was unmistakably fast asleep, and therefore
practically at my mercy. But as I had no intention of killing the man,
if I could possibly avoid so extreme a measure, I must have the
wherewithal to bind him securely, and that could undoubtedly be obtained
in the capstan-house. I therefore removed my shoes and, carrying them
in my hand, stole on tiptoe round the corner of the building, keeping a
wary eye on the sleeper as I did so. Presently I slipped noiselessly in
through the open door, and found myself in a long, spacious apartment
abundantly stored with ponderous hempen cables and hawsers, anchors of
various sizes, piles of sails neatly stopped up, quantities of chain of
various kinds, coils of rope, sufficient, it appeared to me, to fit a
new gang of running rigging to a dozen ships like the _Barracouta_,
bundles of blocks, single, double, threefold, and sister, dangling from
the beams--in fact almost every conceivable article that could possibly
be needed in the fitting out of a ship. There was part of a coil of
brand-new ratline close to my hand, which would serve my purpose
admirably, I therefore whipped out my knife and cut off as much as I
required, seized a double handful of oakum and a belaying-pin with which
to form a gag, cut off a length of marline with which to secure the gag
in place, and then, having made a running bowline in the end of my
length of ratline, I stole, still in my stocking feet, to the door, and
very cautiously peered out at Jose. The man was sound asleep, seated on
the ground with his back propped against the wall of the capstan-house,
his legs stretched out straight in front of him, his arms hanging limply
at his sides with the backs of his hands resting on the ground and
turned palm upward, his head sunk on his breast, and his pipe, fallen
from his mouth, lying in his lap.

Silently and stealthily I crept toward him until I stood by his side;
then, without pausing a moment, I dropped the noosed ratline over his
shoulders, at the same moment