Only one was asleep, and he lying just at the foot of the companion-ladder, with a musket by his side.

The rest were seated on several mattresses, which had been taken from the berths and thrown on the floor.

They were engaged in earnest conversation; and although they had been carousing, as appeared from two empty jugs, with some tin tumblers which lay about, they were not as much intoxicated as usual.

All had knives, one or two of them pistols, and a great many muskets were lying in a berth close at hand.
We listened to their conversation for some time before we could make up our minds how to act, having as yet resolved on nothing determinate, except that we would attempt to paralyze their exertions, when we should attack them, by means of the apparition of Rogers.

They were discussing their piratical plans, in which all we could hear distinctly was, that they would unite with the crew of a schooner _Hornet_, and, if possible, get the schooner herself into their possession preparatory to some attempt on a large scale, the particulars of which could not be made out by either of us.
One of the men spoke of Peters, when the mate replied to him in a low voice which could not be distinguished, and afterward added more loudly, that "he could not understand his being so much forward with the captain's brat in the forecastle, and he thought the sooner both of them were overboard the better." To this no answer was made, but we could easily perceive that the hint was well received by the whole party, and more particularly by Jones.