Thus Big Sam found that his time had not arrived, and he swore in his soul that his old shipmate would some day rue that he had not earlier stood by him in his treacherous schemes.

So all went on without open discontent, and Bonnet, having sailed northward for some days, set his course to the southeast, with some hundred and fifty eyes wide open for the sight of a heavy-sailing merchantman.

One morning they sighted a brig sailing southward, but as she was of no great size and not going in the right direction to make it probable that she carried a cargo worth their while, they turned westward and ran towards Cuba.  Had Captain Bonnet known that his daughter was on the brig which he thus disdained, his mind would have been far different; but as it was, not knowing anything more than he could see, and not understanding much of that, he kept his westerly course, and on the next day the lookout sighted a good-sized merchantman bearing eastward.

Now bounded every heart upon the swiftly coursing vessel of the planter-pirate.  There were men there who had shared in the taking of many a prize; who had shared in the blood and the cruelty and the booty; and their brawny forms trembled with the old excitement, of the sea-chase; but no man’s blood ran more swiftly, no man’s eyes glared more fiercely, than those of Captain Bonnet as he strapped on his pistols and felt of his sword-hilt.

“Ah, ye needna glare so!” said Ben Greenway, close at his side.  “Ye are no pirate, an’ ye canna make yoursel’ believe ye are ane, an’ that ye shall see when the guns begin to roar an’ the sword-blades flash.  Better get below an’ let ane o’ these hairy scoundrels descend into hell in your place.”

Captain Bonnet turned with rage upon Ben Greenway, but the latter, having spoken his mind and given his advice, had retired.

Now came Big Sam. “’Tis an English brig,” he said, “most likely from Jamaica, homeward bound; she should be a good prize.”

Bonnet winced a little at this.  He would have preferred to begin his career of piracy by capturing some foreign vessel, leaving English prizes for the future, when he should have become better used to his new employment.  But sensitiveness does not do for pirates, and in a moment he had recovered himself and was as bold and bloody-minded as he had been when he first saw the now rapidly approaching vessel.  All nations were alike to him now, and he belonged to none.

“Fire some guns at her,” he shouted to Big Sam, “and run up the Jolly Roger; let the rascals see what we are.”

The rascals saw.  Down came their flag, and presently their vessel was steered into the wind and lay to.

“Shall we board her?” cried Big Sam.

“Ay, board her!” shouted back the infuriated Bonnet.  “Run the Revenge alongside, get out your grappling-irons, and let every man with sword and pistols bound upon her deck.”