so loosely when they were tipsy that it dropped out,
and all the wine ran out, so that there had been none left for three or
four days; in the next, their fuel had long been expended, and they had
latterly eaten their meat raw the loss of their tent, which had been
fired by their carelessness, had been followed by four days and nights
of continual rain. Everything they had had been soaked through and
through, and they were worn out, shivering with cold, and starving.
Hanging they thought better than dying by inches from starvation; and,
yielding to the imperious demands of hunger, they came down to the
beach, abreast of the ship, and dropped down on their knees.

"I tell you so, Massa Easy," said Mesty: "damn rascals, they forget they
come down fire musket at us every day: by all de powers, Mesty not
forget it."

"Ship ahoy!" cried one of the men on shore.

"What do you want?" replied Jack.

"Have pity on us, sir--mercy!" exclaimed the other men, "we will return
to our duty."

"Debbil doubt 'em!"

"What shall I say, Mesty?"

"Tell 'em no, first, Massa Easy--tell 'em to starve and be damned."

"I cannot take mutineers on board," replied Jack.

"Well, then, our blood be on your hands, Mr Easy," replied the first
man who had spoken. "If we are to die, it must not be by inches--if you
will not take us, the sharks shall--it is but a crunch, and all is over.
What do you say, my lads? let's all rush in together: good-bye, Mr
Easy, I hope you'll forgive us when we're dead it was all that rascal
Johnson, the coxswain, who persuaded us. Come, my lads, it's no use
thinking of it, the sooner done the better--let us shake hands, and then
make one run of it."

It appeared that the poor fellows had already made up their minds to do
this, if our hero, persuaded by Mesty, had refused to take them on
board. They shook hands all round, and then walking a few yards from
the beach, stood in a line while the man gave the signal--one--two.

"Stop," cried Jack, who had not forgotten the dreadful scene which had
already taken place,--"stop."

The men paused.

"What will you promise if I take you on board?"

"To do our duty cheerfully till we join the ship, and then be hung as an
example to all mutineers," replied the men.

"Dat very fair," replied Mesty; "take dem at their word, Massa Easy."

"Very well," replied Jack, "I accept your conditions; and we will come
for you."

Jack and Mesty hauled up the boat, stuck thei