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"I believe you are right," observed the commander, after again examining the stranger. "We must be prepared for whatever may happen. If, as you suspect, yonder ship is a Spaniard, she comes with the intention of taking us. What say you, Mr Billhook?" "I agree with the first lieutenant, sir," answered the master. "And what is your opinion, Foley?"
With a small billhook he carefully freed the collar of the tree from twigs and patches of moss which incrusted it to a height of a foot or two above the ground, an operation comparable to the "little toilet" of the executioner's victim. After this it was barked in its erect position to a point as high as a man could reach.
"A primitive method, and an easy one, saving the labour of billhook and axe." About nine o'clock he saw some woods lying to the north-west. But the horses' heads were turned eastward to avoid an arm of a great marsh, extending northward to the horizon.
Mr Billhook had taken the telescope and was narrowly examining the stranger. "Shiver my timbers, but I believe she is the same buccaneering craft we found alongside the Ouzel Galley, when we chased her till she had well-nigh run on those rascally Bahama reefs," he exclaimed, still keeping his eye at the glass.
The canes are cut with a billhook, one at a time; and being fastened together in faggots, are sent off to the crushing-mill on mules' backs or in carts. Windmills are much in use. The canes are crushed by rollers and as the juice is pressed out, it runs into a cistern near the boiling-house.
Peter struck out at the top of his speed, Sneezer and I followed: we soon reached the jungle, dashed through a path that had been recently cleared with a cutlass or billhook, for the twigs were freshly shred, and in about ten minutes reached the high wood. However, no rest for the wicked, although the row seemed lessening now. "Some one has got the worst of it," said I.
Broadside after broadside was exchanged for the space of nearly half an hour; then suddenly the firing ceased. "Can the merchantman have beaten off the pirate?" said Gerald to the first lieutenant. "Do you think she has, sir?" "I much doubt it," was the answer. "What do you say, master?" "I believe that the pirate has taken the merchantman," replied Mr Billhook.
"God bless my soul! Dear me!" said his lordship. "Dear me! God bless my soul!" He came slowly down the ladder and, surrendering his billhook to Joseph, advanced and proffered a tremulous white hand. Miss Blythe accepted it with a second curt little courtesy, shook it once up and down and dropped it.
However, Gerard just then resumed in a low voice "But come, they do show themselves, for here is the reverend superior, Father Capdebarthe himself." An ecclesiastic was indeed just passing, a man with the appearance of a peasant, a knotty frame, and a large head which looked as though carved with a billhook.
"I don't forget the mercy you showed me," said Archie, "but I wish you had managed to run off." Then, turning to the master, he begged that he would allow the blacks to escape. "If they are made prisoners I may be unable to save their lives," he said. "Well, then, let us go and look after some others," exclaimed Mr Billhook. "Tell them to show leg-bail and we'll not follow them."
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