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"Starboard your helm, or you will be running foul of us." It was O'Harrall who spoke. Owen recognised his voice. "There is something wrong," cried another man. "Treachery! treachery!" exclaimed several of the pirates, and two guns from the Ouzel Galley were fired at the approaching ship. They were well aimed.
"It is useless to sit up, mother," observed Owen, after Mrs Massey had been talking for some time about the escape of O'Harrall. "The man, if he has got away, is certain not to return. At all events, you will be as safe in bed as anywhere else." After some persuasion Mrs Massey consented to retire to bed, and after listening for some time at last fell asleep.
Still, as week after week went by, her hope that O'Harrall had quitted the country, and that he would not again venture to molest her, increased. She heard occasionally from Ellen, though letters were long in coming, and more than once the mail had been stopped on the road and plundered a too frequent occurrence to be thought much of in those days.
And now, Captain Massey, let me ask you, how do you happen to know that the real name of the pirate captain is O'Harrall? He is generally called Bermudez among us." "I knew him long before he took to his present evil courses," said Owen. "I then hoped better things of him, and I will now ask why you are ready to betray him."
He had afterwards had cause to regret having done so, when O'Harrall became notorious for his evil deeds. "It would have been better to let him drown, than allow him to gather the sins on his head for which he has to answer," thought the old captain. "But no, I did what was right; for the rest he alone is answerable.
One of the shots struck the bulwarks, the splinters from which wounded several persons; the other flew more aft, and the traitorous pirate, Michael O'Harrall, was seen to fall. Not a groan escaped him. The officers and crew sprang to their feet, those who were below leaping on deck.
"It is more than any one else has done for a long time, and several have lost their lives in making the attempt, so you are fortunate." "That is not the matter about which I wish to speak to you," said Owen. "You were treated well while under my command, and in return I ask you to tell me how Captain O'Harrall behaved towards those he took from this ship?"
During his violent struggles to free himself the patch over his eye fell off, as did his heavy moustache, and some of the men, as they examined his features, recognised the pirate O'Harrall, the very man of whom Mrs Massey gave you the account. I had rushed into my room, too much frightened and agitated to watch what was taking place.
Some time passed before his mother returned; during it, he did his best to calm his feelings, for he had determined not to tell her what had occurred, hoping that before the next morning O'Harrall would have disappeared. Shortly after she entered the cottage the old lady urged Owen to go to bed.
Owen, fully agreeing that O'Harrall was right, followed his advice. As he was going below, he saw Routh approaching O'Harrall. After gazing at each other for a moment, they shook hands. Owen, on seeing the two together, no longer wondered that he should have mistaken one for the other, so great was the likeness.
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