and said, "I sent a message by that youngster there to you to look out
for yourself, and I never threaten in vain. He goes with me. I want a
good navigator; and as your second mate seems a likely sort of person, I
shall take him also. The rest of you may go free; but remember, that if
any of you attempt to betray me, or to appear as witnesses against me,
you will dearly pay for it."

Our poor captain, who was almost ruined and heart-broken by the pillage
of his ship, said nothing, but bowed his head on his breast, looking as
if he would as soon have been killed outright. The unfortunate mate,
Abraham Jones, seemed horrified at hearing what his fate was to be; but
he knew enough about the pirates to be aware that it would have been
worse than useless to attempt to escape accompanying them. He, however,
took the precaution of calling on the crew of the _Susannah_ to bear
witness that he was compelled through bodily fear and by force to join
the pirates; and he made the best show of resistance that under the
circumstances he could venture to do.

From what I saw of him, I do not think that he had so great an objection
to joining them as some men might have had. Indeed, I confess that I
was very wrong in doing so; and I feel that a person ought rather to
sacrifice his life than consent to commit a crime, even though driven to
it with a dagger at his throat. However, both Jones and I fancied that
the only chance of saving our own lives, and those of our shipmates, was
by our going on board the schooner.

"Remember, Captain Searle, if we get into any misfortune through you,
these two will be the first to suffer, and then again I say, look out
for yourself," exclaimed the chief pirate, as he quitted the deck of the
_Susannah_.

His people then hove her guns overboard, and removed the small arms on
board their own craft, to which the mate and I were also transferred.
They also cut the standing and running rigging, which would effectually
prevent her from making sail for a long time to come.

The first mate was next released, and was ordered to stand on the poop,
on pain of being shot down if he attempted to move while the schooner
was near. Her boat was then hoisted in, she was cast off from the brig,
and with a cheer of triumph from her crew, she stood away from the
_Susannah_.

The first mate wisely did as he was ordered; and it was not till we had
got to such a distance that there was little fear of his being