rranged by Captain Ralph and his
followers. When they found that their long-trusted leader was dead,
their dismay was great. No time, however, was to be lost. A man who
had gone to the mast-head, whence he could look over the mangrove-bushes
into the lagoon, reported that some of the vessels there were making
sail in pursuit. We, however, had a good start of them. Still, without
a leader, there was some confusion, and the energies of the people were
not applied to their full advantage.

Suddenly there arose a cry among them that a captain must be chosen.
"The English captain! the English captain!--Captain Helfrich is our
man!" was shouted by all the pirates; and it was very evident that,
whether he would or not, they would compel him to take the post.

"My men, I am obliged to you for your good opinion of me," said Captain
Helfrich, standing up among them; "still I cannot be your captain. I
will be your pilot to take you out of this harbour, and to enable you to
gain a place of safety, on one condition, that you disperse at the time
I point out to you. I make this agreement for your own advantage. If
you keep together, you are certain before long to get into trouble.
Will you trust me?"

"We agree! we agree!" was replied on all sides. "We trust you, sir, for
we know you mean us well."

"Then heave up the anchor, sheet home the headsails, up with the helm,
and let her cast to starboard," cried the captain, almost in the same
breath.

A man was stationed at the bowsprit-end, and another at the mast-head,
to give notice of any rocks beneath the water which might lie in our
course; but Captain Helfrich seemed scarcely to require such
information. The little schooner threaded the narrow and intricate
passage with unerring accuracy, every instant the rapidity of her
progress being increased by the freshening wind. It was well, indeed,
for our safety that we had a steady breeze, for while we were still
within the labyrinth of reefs, several vessels were seen emerging from
among the mangrove-bushes. As they advanced, they fired their guns at
us; but we were still far beyond their range. Had it not been, indeed,
for the many turns in the passage, we should have been so far away that
they could not have hoped to reach us. We had only our heels to depend
on, for, with so overpowering a force, the Spaniards must easily have
overcome us. Our great danger consisted in the possibility of striking
on a rock before