“When last I saw him his Excellency was in bed with his throat cut.  When I broke prison I learnt from my friends—­for Captain Sharkey has those who love him in every port—­that the Governor was starting for Europe under a master who had never seen him.  I climbed his verandah, and I paid him the little debt that I owed him.  Then I came aboard you with such of his things as I had need of, and a pair of glasses to hide these tell-tale eyes of mine, and I have ruffled it as a governor should.  Now, Ned, you can get to work upon them.”

“Help! help!  Watch ahoy!” yelled the mate; but the butt of the pirate’s pistol crashed down on his head, and he dropped like a pithed ox.  Scarrow rushed for the door, but the sentinel clapped his hand over his mouth, and threw his other arm round his waist.

“No use, Master Scarrow,” said Sharkey.  “Let us see you go down on your knees and beg for your life.”

“I’ll see you—­” cried Scarrow, shaking his mouth clear.

“Twist his arm round, Ned.  Now will you?”

“No; not if you twist it off.”

“Put an inch of your knife into him.”

“You may put six inches, and then I won’t.”

“Sink me, but I like his spirit!” cried Sharkey.  “Put your knife in your pocket, Ned.  You’ve saved your skin, Scarrow, and it’s a pity so stout a man should not take to the only trade where a pretty fellow can pick up a living.  You must be born for no common death, Scarrow, since you have lain at my mercy and lived to tell the story.  Tie him up, Ned.”

“To the stove, captain?”

“Tut, tut! there’s a fire in the stove.  None of your rover tricks, Ned Galloway, unless they are called for, or I’ll let you know which of us two is captain and which is quartermaster.  Make him fast to the table.”

“Nay, I thought you meant to roast him!” said the quartermaster.  “You surely do not mean to let him go?”

“If you and I were marooned on a Bahama cay, Ned Galloway, it is still for me to command and for you to obey.  Sink you for a villain, do you dare to question my orders?”

“Nay, nay, Captain Sharkey, not so hot, sir!” said the quartermaster, and, lifting Scarrow like a child, he laid him on the table.  With the quick dexterity of a seaman, he tied his spread-eagled hands and feet with a rope which was passed underneath, and gagged him securely with the long cravat which used to adorn the chin of the Governor of St. Kitt’s.

“Now, Captain Scarrow, we must take our leave of you,” said the pirate.  “If I had half a dozen of my brisk boys at my heels I should have had your cargo and your ship, but Roaring Ned could not find a foremast hand with the spirit of a mouse.  I see there are some small craft about, and we shall get one of them.  When Captain Sharkey has a boat he can get a smack, when he has a smack he can get a brig, when he has a brig he can get a barque, and when he has a barque he’ll soon have a full-rigged ship of his own—­so make haste into London town, or I may be coming back, after all, for the Morning Star.”