It was already becoming dusk; we had no time to lose if my design was to succeed, for with the imminent arrival of Duguay-Trouin our fate was sealed.

Chapter 19:  I Fight Duguay-Trouin.

I had brought wine on board, but before a bottle was opened I said, with a wink at the lieutenant: 

“I fear this wine of the country will taste somewhat thin after English rum, monsieur.”

“We have a great quantity of it in the hold, monsieur,” he said laughing, “and with your leave I will order my men to broach a cask.”

He shouted his command to the men on deck.  Instantly Joe, who was behind him, threw his arm round the officer’s neck, thrust a gag into his mouth, and with the bosun’s aid deftly tied his arms and legs together.  Then all three of us ran up the companion way.  In obedience to the lieutenant’s command two of the men had gone forward and were descending through the open hatchway into the hold.  While the deserters held the rest of the men in talk, the bosun strolled carelessly after the two, and as soon as they had disappeared, quietly clapped on the hatch and battened it down.  Meanwhile Joe and I joined the group at the bulwarks, without awakening suspicion among the crew.  At a signal from me the men tripped them up, and in another two minutes they were lying gagged and bound on the deck.

It was scarcely ten minutes since we came on board, and we had done everything without the least noise to alarm the town.  Then, leaving the deserters to guard the ship, I returned in all haste with the others to the maire.

“What shall we do with our prisoners, Joe?” I asked, as we hurried along.

“Leave ’em locked up, sir, and lock the maire up with them in case of accidents.”

“But I think we will bring the captain and the sergeant,” I said.  “You see, they have got our clothes.”

“But these are better, sir,” he replied, “and you make a rare fine captain, smite my timbers if you don’t.”

“Still, we will bring them; a taste of prison may do the captain, at any rate, a world of good.”

And so, when we got to the mairie, I unlocked the door where the prisoners were confined, told my comrades in a few words what had happened, and bade them go forth into the street, when Joe and the bosun had loosed their bands and hasten to the harbor.

The maire, learning that I had returned, had followed me in, and hearing these words of English, and seeing Joe and the bosun untying the cords, he cried to me to know what I was about.  The bosun instantly laid hands on him and began to truss him up.  He gave one shout of alarm, which Joe deftly checked with a gag made of the bandage he had stripped from his head, and then he was laid on the floor beside the Frenchmen.  Then we seized the captain and sergeant, and having locked the door again, marched them among us at a brisk pace to the harbor and on to the brig.