ented by their foes from
springing into the water, the Spanish boys were hurrying up to the
topmost spars, while such of the few Spanish sailors, not already in the
sea, less alert, were descried, helplessly mixed in, on deck, with the
blacks.

Meantime Captain Delano hailed his own vessel, ordering the ports up,
and the guns run out. But by this time the cable of the San Dominick had
been cut; and the fag-end, in lashing out, whipped away the canvas
shroud about the beak, suddenly revealing, as the bleached hull swung
round towards the open ocean, death for the figure-head, in a human
skeleton; chalky comment on the chalked words below, "_Follow your
leader_."

At the sight, Don Benito, covering his face, wailed out: "'Tis he,
Aranda! my murdered, unburied friend!"

Upon reaching the sealer, calling for ropes, Captain Delano bound the
negro, who made no resistance, and had him hoisted to the deck. He would
then have assisted the now almost helpless Don Benito up the side; but
Don Benito, wan as he was, refused to move, or be moved, until the negro
should have been first put below out of view. When, presently assured
that it was done, he no more shrank from the ascent.

The boat was immediately dispatched back to pick up the three swimming
sailors. Meantime, the guns were in readiness, though, owing to the San
Dominick having glided somewhat astern of the sealer, only the aftermost
one could be brought to bear. With this, they fired six times; thinking
to cripple the fugitive ship by bringing down her spars. But only a few
inconsiderable ropes were shot away. Soon the ship was beyond the gun's
range, steering broad out of the bay; the blacks thickly clustering
round the bowsprit, one moment with taunting cries towards the whites,
the next with upthrown gestures hailing the now dusky moors of
ocean--cawing crows escaped from the hand of the fowler.

The first impulse was to slip the cables and give chase. But, upon
second thoughts, to pursue with whale-boat and yawl seemed more
promising.

Upon inquiring of Don Benito what firearms they had on board the San
Dominick, Captain Delano was answered that they had none that could be
used; because, in the earlier stages of the mutiny, a cabin-passenger,
since dead, had secretly put out of order the locks of what few muskets
there were. But with all his remaining strength, Don Benito entreated
the American not to give chase, either with ship or boat; for the
negroes had