Mind you leave all your pistols on capstern." Jack lighted the candle, and they proceeded round the decks: they had not walked far, when, between two of the guns, they discovered a heap covered with gregos.

"There de watch," whispered Mesty; "all fast--not ready for dem yet." Mesty blew out the candle, and they all retreated to the binnacle, where Mesty took out a coil of the ropes about the mizzen-mast, and cutting it into lengths, gave them to the other men to unlay.

In a few minutes they had prepared a great many seizings to tie the men with.
"Now den we light candle again, and make sure of them lazy hounds," said Mesty; "very much oblige to dem all de same, they let us take de ship--mind now, wake one at a time, and shut him mouth." "But suppose they get their mouths free and cry out ?" replied Jack.
"Den, Mr Easy," replied Mesty, changing his countenance to an expression almost demoniacal--"there no help for it,"-- and Mesty showed his knife which he held in his right hand.
"Oh no! do not let us murder them." "No, massa--suppose can help it, but suppose they get upper hand--what become of us?
Spaniards hab knives, and use dem too, by de power!" The observation of Mesty was correct, and the expression of his countenance when he showed his knife proved what a relentless enemy he could be, if his blood was once roused--but Mesty had figured in the Ashantee wars in former days, and after that the reader need not be surprised.

They proceeded cautiously to where the Spaniards lay.

The arrangements of Mesty were very good.