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Updated: May 16, 2025
But for such careful forethought on my part, the Sapphire's two boats would never have fallen into my power." "The Sapphire's boats?" I exclaimed. "Surely you do not mean to tell me that you are responsible for the massacre of those two boats' crews?" "No, not the massacre of them, certainly, but their capture," answered Mendouca, with a smile of gratified pride.
This, however, was an opinion which I by no means shared; for, knowing Mendouca so well as I did, I felt that it was by no means unlikely that, having reached an offing of some ten or twelve miles, he might order the sweeps to be laid in until daylight, in order that he might remain in our neighbourhood and assure himself by the actual demonstration of his own or Pedro's eyesight that the Bangalore had foundered, taking with her to the bottom all evidence of the atrocious crime of which he and his crew had been guilty.
Order them to secure the guns," I continued, turning to Mendouca; "it surely cannot be that you are going to allow the excitement of battle to betray you into the committal of a cold-blooded murder? You have beaten off your enemies, and they are in full retreat; let that satisfy you.
She had just hoisted Portuguese colours, of which, however, Mendouca took no notice, somewhat to my surprise, since he reiterated the statement that she was the craft he had believed her to be, and that the captain of her and he were old friends. It was my afternoon watch below; so when I rose from the dinner-table I said
He was absent from the deck but a very few minutes, however; and when he re-appeared I supposed that he had been below to make his report to Mendouca and to receive that individual's orders, for as he passed along the deck I heard him shout to the crew
And I turned away and left him. Shortly afterwards Mendouca went below; and a few minutes after his disappearance the steward came up to me and informed me that "supper" as the evening meal is called at sea was ready. "I shall not go below, steward," I said. "If Captain Mendouca will allow you to do so, I should like you to bring me a cup of coffee and a biscuit up here."
Accordingly I descended the companion, and as I entered the cabin Mendouca rose from a sofa-locker upon which he had flung himself, and again stretched forth his hand. "I want you to forgive me, Dugdale," said he, with great earnestness. "Nay, but you must; I will take no denial.
"Now, Jose," exclaimed Mendouca, "that ends the matter; do you hear? I cannot spare Senor Dugdale, so if he is found with a knife between his ribs I shall hold you responsible for it, and I give you my solemn promise that I will run you up to the yard-arm and leave you there until it will not matter to you what becomes of your miserable carcase.
And during the half-hour's chat that ensued I learnt enough to convince me that Mendouca was in very truth afflicted with paroxysmal attacks of genuine, undoubted madness; and that, in my future dealings with him, I should have to bear that exceedingly alarming and disconcerting fact in mind.
However, I had not been on deck long when Mendouca made his appearance, and in response to his salutation I said "Good-morning, captain; I see you have shifted your helm during the night." I saw, when it was too late, that my remark was an unfortunate one, for Mendouca scowled as he replied
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