ppy combination of circumstances that our lives had been spared by
that gang of bloodthirsty and cruel desperadoes. Even now, we were not
quite certain that they might not take it into their heads to shoot us
all, and we longed to see them making sail and clear away. The
provisions, however, they had left with us, showed that the intentions
of some of them had been kinder than the conduct of the crew in general
would have led us to expect.

The second boat now reached the beach. Silva was assisted out,
apparently suffering much pain, and then Cousin Silas and Ben followed
with their limbs at liberty. We ran forward to welcome them, which we
did most warmly, while they seemed very well pleased to meet us. Poor
Silva was left, wounded as he was, standing on the beach. Some more
casks and several other things were landed from the boat, and then the
crew, without addressing a word to any of us, shoved off as fast as they
could, and pulled back to the schooner.

As soon as the pirates were gone, we went up to Silva and asked him what
had occurred. His rage and indignation, added to the pain he was
suffering, almost prevented him from speaking. "Partly because I did
not like to see so much blood shed, and partly because the captain was
jealous of me, he had, I discovered, resolved to get rid of me," he
replied, stamping on the ground. "I, however, was always on my guard.
Many of the people liked me and trusted me, and I got information of all
he intended to do. He, however, it seems, had his spies, who got into
the confidence of some of my people, and the captain saw that we were
very likely to become the strongest party. Some of his allies took the
occasion of your being put on shore to accuse me of having favoured you
for my own ends. Words quickly led to blows. My friends rallied round
me, but some of those I could best trust were sent away in the boat with
you. The captain's party made a rush forward, and, wounded and
bleeding, I was seized. They would have killed me at once, but my
friends declared that if I was hurt they would blow up the vessel and
all hands together. I doubt if they would have kept their word.
However, the captain agreed to spare my life, and to put me on shore
with you, if they would not create any further disturbance. This they
very quickly agreed to, the cowards, and so, here am I, lately as free
and independent as any of them, left to share the fate of those whose
lives they cons