as they could
give also they offered to the survivors of their crew. Two poor fellows
had been killed outright; another was bleeding to death on the deck, nor
would the brutal Spaniards offer him the slightest assistance, while
they prevented his shipmates from giving it him. Jack himself was
suffering also much pain from his wound, while he felt so faint from
loss of blood that he could scarcely support himself. He had told
Needham that the Spaniards threatened to kill them all.

"Well, sir, they may do it if they dare, but they will be sure to be
caught some day or other," answered Needham. "I wouldn't change places
with them. We shall die having done our duty; they will be hung up like
dogs. If I knew their lingo I would tell them so."

The English were not long left in quiet. So many of the Spaniards had
been wounded that some time was spent by them in bandaging up their
hurts, and as soon as this was done they came on deck eager to wreak
their vengeance on their captive foes. They now came about them with
their long knives, flourishing them before their eyes, and pretending to
stab at them. Some indeed, more brutal than the rest, actually stuck
their knives into their flesh, but though blood was drawn, the seamen
generally disdained even to utter a word, though one or two said, "I'll
tell you what, you villains, if I can get my fists at liberty, I'll give
it you." At length Don Diogo and the captain of the schooner came out
from the cabin. They had apparently made up their minds what to do.
The latter gave orders to reeve ropes to each yard-arm, while planks
were got up and placed over the sides, secured on board by lanyards. On
these being cut, of course the end of the plank overboard would
instantly sink down and let the person standing on it into the water.
Don Diogo had, it seemed, taken upon himself the direction of the
executions. Jack and Adair had supposed that the Spaniards would wait
till the morning to kill them, but the little Don evidently had no wish
to delay his vengeance.

"Cast the prisoners loose, and bring them aft," he cried out. "Now, you
scoundrel heretics, what have you got to say for yourselves? Nothing?
I thought so. Well, I will be merciful. You shall choose the mode of
your death. What shall it be--will you be hung or walk the plank?
There are plenty of sharks alongside who will be happy to entomb you
either way."

No one replied to this address.

"Speak, you here