'em fair an'
alike. We stripped 'em an' laid in deep with the cat till there wasn't
no white skin left above the waist. Then we sluiced 'em with sea water.
When they could feel pain again, we stretched 'em with rope an' windlass
till one died. T'other was a red-headed, tough young devil, an' took
such a deal of it that we had to brain him with a handspike at the
last."

Even the crew were silenced for a little by this recital. Jeremy and Bob
shivered in their places, hardly daring to breathe. Then a Portuguese
spoke from the corner, his greedy little black eyes glittering in his
swarthy face.

"Where wass da Cap'n's money--da gold 'e 'ada-not divide', eh?"

Daggs gave a little start and leaned forward scowling. "Who said he had
any?" he asked savagely. "Sol Brig kept himself to himself. He never
told secrets to any man aboard!" Then he turned and with a black frown
at the two boys, climbed through the hatch into the howling smother
outside.

Jeremy, always alert, saw one or two glances exchanged among the pirates
before the interminable foul stream of fo'c's'le talk resumed its
course, but apparently the incident of the scarred man's abrupt
departure was soon forgotten.

As the storm continued, Bonnet and Herriot gave up their attempts to
sail the _Royal James_ and contented themselves with keeping her afloat.
The gale was driving them southward at a good rate and they were not
ungrateful as they reflected that it must have effectually put a stop to
all pursuit. Toward night the wind went down a trifle, though the seas
still ran in veritable mountain ranges. The dawn of the following day
showed a clear sky to the north, and every prospect of fair weather.
Before breakfast all hands were set to shaking out reefs and trimming
sails, a task which the tossing of the sloop made unusually difficult.
New halyards had to be fitted in some places. Otherwise the vessel
herself had suffered but little. The brig's boat, towed astern all
through the flight down the bay, had been swamped and cut loose on the
first day of storm. However, as the _Royal James_ had two boats of her
own lashed on deck, this was not considered a real loss.

When the sun was high enough, Herriot took his bearings, and gave the
helmsman orders to keep her headed west, a point north. The sloop made a
long beat of it to starboard, thrashing up all night and most of the
following day, before she sighted the Virginia Capes. Slipping through
under cover o