XXI. THE PIRATE SHIP.

"How did you know she was a pirate?" inquired Charlie.

"I suspected her in the first place, from her rakish look. All pirate ships, you know, are made for speed. Besides, this particular ship had been described to me by a messmate who had once been on board a ship that was chased by her, though, luckily, before the pirate had a chance to overhaul her, two other vessels came in sight, and frightened her away.

"As soon as I made out the approaching vessel to be the Red Rover, I repented bitterly the signs by which I had drawn her attention. I ceased making signals, but it was too late. She had already seen me, and a boat was filling with men to take me on board. Finding I could not well help myself, I concluded to make the best of it, and not show any objection to going with the boat's crew. So when they came near, and hailed me, asking me who I was, I answered as[180] heartily as I could, 'Bill Sturdy, of the good ship Peregrine, bound for Havana.'

"'And what's become of your ship?'

"'Gone to the bottom,' I answered.

"'How long since?'

"'About twenty-four hours.'

"'How did it happen?'

"In reply, I told all the circumstances, without reserve, for concealment would have done no good.

"There was a little consultation on board the boat, and then the officer in command brought it up alongside my hen-coop, and ordered me aboard.

"This I did with as much alacrity as possible, and I tell you, my lad, it did seem good once more to be in a boat, even though it belonged to a pirate, after pitching about on a hen-coop for twenty-four hours.

"Now that I had a chance, I looked at the men that manned the boat. They were villainous-looking cutthroats—mostly Spaniards, with dark, lowering faces and forbidding expressions. I couldn't help turning it over in my mind, what they would be likely to do with me.

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"It didn't take long to reach the pirate vessel. Those on board pressed forward, as I came up and got on deck. They were all pretty much alike. The captain was a large, stout, muscular man, though I believe," added Bill, with some complacency, "that I could have got the better of him in a regular rough-and-tumble fight. However, this isn't neither here nor there. He came up to me, and made me answer over again the same questions which had been asked me before. I answered them in the same way. After he had got through with his questions, he fixed his sharp, black eyes on me, and inquired, 'Do you know the name of the ship that has picked you up?'

"'I do,' said I, coolly, though I didn't feel as cool as I appeared.

"'Ha!' he exclaimed, in surprise. 'What is it?'

"'It is the Red Rover,' said I, making believe to be unconcerned.

"'And are you acquainted with its character?" said the captain, with another of his sharp looks.

"'I believe so,' said I.

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"'Name it.'

"'I think it is a pirate,' said I, not moving a muscle.

"'Ha!' he exclaimed, looking at me rather curiously. 'Are you not afraid to find yourself on board a pirate?'

"'Why should I be?' I answered. 'But for you, I should have died on the hen-coop, and I suppose, if you had meant to take away my life, you wouldn't have taken the trouble to save me, since death was certain.'

"'A bold fellow!' said the captain, aside, to the mate. He spoke in the Spanish language, but I had managed to pick up some odd phrases in that lingo, so I knew what he was driving at. The mate seemed to agree, and they talked a little more. I didn't understand, but guessed it was about me.

"The pirate captain, after a short confab with the mate, turned round, and spoke to me. 'Well, my man,' said he, 'I don't mind telling you that you've hit the mark in guessing that this is the Red Rover, and a pirate. I believe she has made something of a reputation for herself,' he added, proudly.

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"I bowed.

"'Now I have a proposal to make to you. We're rather short-handed. We need two or three brave fellows, and I am inclined to think, from your bearing, that you will suit us. Now, if you would like it, you shall be admitted to equal privileges with the rest of the crew, with an equal share of whatever booty we manage to pick up, and that I may tell you, is not small. Here, Roderigo, step forward, and tell this man how much your share was last year.'

"Roderigo, a villainous-looking fellow, stepped forward, and answered, 'Nearly two thousand dollars in goods and money.'

"'You see, then, what are the inducements. Will you join us or not?'

"Now I very well knew what the consequences of my refusal would be, so I replied, without a moment's hesitation, 'I will.'"

"What, did you become a pirate?" asked Charlie, horror-struck.

"Pretty much in the same way that you became a sailor, my lad; because I couldn't help it."

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"And did you join in robbing vessels, and killing all on board?"

"Hold on, my lad; you're a little too fast for me. You'll know in due time. The pirate captain seemed pleased with my promptness, and made me sign the book. I should have given a wrong name, only I had given the right one when I was hailed, though, for that matter, Sturdy isn't my right name. The captain told me, in a very polite sort of way, that if I should undertake to play them false, or interfere with them in any way, I should be pitched overboard. As this threat did not seem to trouble me much, he seemed to be satisfied that it was all right with me. In the course of a day or two, I got acquainted with the crew. They were mostly Spaniards, but there was a sprinkling of other nations,—French, Danes, Germans, and one Englishman."

"Were there any Yankees?"

"No, I'm proud to say there wasn't one except myself, and I wasn't there of my own free will. Piracy doesn't chime in with our Yankee notions, and it's my belief you'll find[185] precious few full-blooded Yankees that are engaged in the business."

"How did you get out of their clutches?" asked Charlie.

"That's what I'm coming to by and by. For a few days we didn't meet a vessel, or, at least, one that was alone, and so would do to attack. I was glad of that, for I was ready enough to do my duty on board the ship, but I knew that, just as soon as we met a vessel, I should be expected to do my share of the fighting, and it went against my grain to engage in any such villainous business as that. However, I thought I wouldn't borrow trouble, but wait till it came, and then I could decide what to do.

"At last I heard the cry I so much dreaded, 'Sail ho!' from one of the crew, who had been sent aloft to give notice of an approaching vessel.

"'Where away?' shouted the pirate captain.

"'To the eastward.'

"Orders were at once given to change the course of the vessel, and to make for the[186] stranger. As soon as she saw us she made every effort to get away, but the Red Rover was too swift for her. When we got within a short distance, I made out the vessel to be the Sally Ann, which had left port about the time the Peregrine did. I knew some of those on board very well, and the captain was an old school-mate of mine.

"'What would they think,' I couldn't help saying to myself, with a groan, 'if they knew their old messmate was regularly enrolled among the crew of the pirate that is overhauling them?'"