Mute with fear, and the awful dread of impending death, and such a death--feeling all the futility of seeking mercy from the merciless--the unhappy Mr. Basset stood in a cold sweat before this demon of a man. He had but one idea prominent amid the chaos of his thoughts, that never more would he look upon the faces of his children.
"Pass the word aft that the rope is knotted and rove," said the inexorable Pedro.
Badger ascended the break of the quarter-deck, and peeping down the skylight, said:
"Well--hallo--what do you want?" asked Captain Phillips.
"Jest to say, friends, as Captain Barradas will string your precious judge up to the arm of the fore-yard in a brace o' shakes, if yew, Dr. Heriot, don't come forward and dress his wounded arm" (at these words, the proposal he heard of chaining him to the mast, flashed upon Heriot's memory), "and if yew all don't give up the tew gals you reckon on keeping for yourselves. If yew understand all that, yew had better be quick, yew had."
"Be off, you rascally Yankee, or I'll mar your seamanship!" said Captain Phillips.
"I hope to crop that rascal's auricular appendages before we part," said Heriot, in a voice not unlike a groan.
"Wa-al, lookye here, be quick, I say," resumed Badger, in a nasal twang, "for Pedro's in a very bad humour to-day, and there'll be an almighty airthquake aboard in another minute."
The words, the manner, and bearing of this fellow created great consternation in the cabin. More than once had Morley levelled the barrel of his pistol at Badger's head, but paused, with his finger throbbing on the trigger, and fearing to fire, lest, by doing so, he might jeopardise the father of Ethel.
"Are the girls coming?" said Pedro, in a low voice of concentrated passion and pain, when Badger returned.
"Never--never, assassin and coward!" exclaimed Mr. Basset; "destroy me, if you will--but--but--oh, Heaven!--oh, my poor girls!"
He hung his head and wept, as his voice failed him, in the excess of his misery.
"Hang the judge--hang him!" said the short, squat ruffian, Sharkey, as he danced a hornpipe with a vigorous double shuffle round their pale victim; "no doubt he hopes to hang us some day."
"Mercy! Listen to me, good fellows--listen!" cried poor Mr. Basset, starting wildly, as the rope began to tighten. "Mercy--save me, save me--Morley, Captain Phillips!"
