obeyed,
and in a few seconds more the gig of the Talisman ranged up alongside of
the Foam.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE ESCAPE.

The instant that Captain Montague stepped over the side of the schooner,
a handkerchief was pressed tightly over his mouth and nose. At the same
time, he was seized by four strongmen and rendered utterly powerless.
The thing was done so promptly and silently, that the men who remained
in the gig heard no unusual sound.

"I'm sorry to treat a guest so roughly, Captain Montague," said
Gascoyne, in a low tone, as the unfortunate officer was carried aft;
"but the safety of my vessel requires it. They will carry you to my
stateroom, where you will find my steward exceedingly attentive and
obliging; but, _let me warn you_, he is peculiarly ready with the butt
end of his pistol at times, especially when men are inclined to make
unnecessary noise." He turned on his heel as he said this, and went
forward, looking over the side in passing and telling the crew of the
gig to remain where they were till their captain should call them.

This order the men felt constrained to obey, although they were
surprised that the captain himself had not given it on quitting the
boat; their suspicions were further awakened by the active operations
going on upon deck. The sounds apprised them of these, for the bulwarks
hid everything from view. At length, when they heard the cable slipping
through the hawsehole, they could stand it no longer, but sprang up the
side in a body. Of course they were met by men well prepared. As they
were armed only with cutlasses, the pirates quickly overcame them, and
threw them into the sea.

All further attempt at concealment was now abandoned. The man-of-war's
boat, when it came up, was received with a shot from Long Tom, which
grazed its side, carried away four of the starboard oars, and just
missed dashing it to pieces by a mere hair's-breadth. At the same time
the sails of the schooner were shaken out and filled by the light
breeze, which, for nearly an hour, had been blowing off shore.

As the coming up of the gig and the large boat had occurred on that side
of the schooner that was furthest from the Talisman, those on board of
the latter vessel could not make out clearly what had occurred. That the
schooner was a pirate was now clearly evident; for the red griffin and
stripe were suddenly displayed, as well as the blood-red flag; but the
first lieutenant did not dare to fire