“’Tis no fine Madeira, my blood,” said he, “such as I fancy your palate is acquainted with.  Yet ’tis as fair a Jamaica as ever Griggs put ashore i’ the dark.”

“Griggs!” I cried, the whole affair coming to me:  Griggs, Upper Marlboro’, South River, Grafton and the rector plotting in the stalls, and Mr. Silas Ridgeway the accomplice.

“Ay, Griggs,” replied he; “ye may well repeat it, the-------, I’ll lay a
puncheon he’ll be hailing you shortly.  Guinea Griggs, Gold-Coast Griggs,
Smuggler Griggs, Skull-and-Bones Griggs.  Damn his soul and eyes, he hath
sent to damnation many a ship’s company.”

He drained what remained of the bottle, took down the lanthorn, and left me sufficiently terrified to reflect upon my situation, which I found desperate enough, my dears.  I have no words to describe what I went through in that vile, foul-smelling place.  My tears flowed fast when I thought of my grandfather and of the dear friends I had left behind, and of Dorothy, whom I never hoped to see again.  And then, perchance ’twas the rum put heart into me, I vowed I would face the matter show this cut-throat of a Griggs a bold front.  Had he meant to murder me, I reflected, he had done the business long since.  Then I fell asleep.

I awoke, I know not how soon, to discover the same shaggy countenance, and the lanthorn.

“Canst walk, Mechlin?” says he.

“I can try, at least,” I answered.

He seemed pleased at this.

“You have courage a-plenty, and, by G—­, you will have need of it all with that of a Griggs!” He gave me his bottle again, and assisted me down, and I found that my legs, save for the rocking of the ship, were steady enough.  I followed him out of the hole in which I had lain on to a deck, which, in the half light, I saw covered with slush and filth.  It was small, and but dimly illuminated by a hatchway, up the which I pushed after him, and then another.  And so we came to the light of day, which near blinded me:  so that I was fain to clap my hand to mine eyes, and stood for a space looking about me like a man dazed.  The wind, tho’ blowing stiff, was mild, and league after league of the green sea danced and foamed in the morning sunlight, and I perceived that I was on a large schooner under full sail, the crew of which were littered about at different occupations.  Some gaming and some drinking, while on the forecastle two men were settling a dispute at fisticuffs.  And they gave me no more notice, nor as much, than I had been a baboon thrust among them.  From this indifference to a captive I augured no good.  Then my conductor, whom I rightly judged to be the mate of this devil’s crew, took me roughly by the shoulder and bade me accompany him to the cabin.

As we drew near the topgallant poop there sounded in my ears a noise like a tempest, which I soon became aware was a man swearing with a prodigious vehemence in a fog-horn of a voice.  “Sdeath and wounds!  Where is that dog-fish of a Cockle?  Damn his entrails, and he is not come soon, I’ll mast-head him naked, by the seven holy spritsails!” And much more and worse to the same tune until we passed the door and stood before him, when he let out an oath like the death-cry of a monster.