We found in it some rum, a few biscuits, a horn of powder, and five or six pounds of sugar. This last was very welcome to me, for I had not tasted sugar for several years.
All these things we carried on shore. Then we knocked a big hole in the bottom of the boat.
To tell the truth, I had but little hope that we would ever recover the ship. But I thought that after she had sailed away we might repair the boat. Then we could no doubt make our way to the Spanish settlements on the mainland.
About an hour before sunset, we heard a gun fired from the ship.
"It is as I told you," said the captain.
We saw a signal waving from the mast. Then several other shots were fired.
At last, when there was no answer either to the signals or to the guns there was a great stir on board, and the other boat was launched.
I watched them with my spyglass.
As the boat neared the shore, we saw that there were ten men in her and that they were all armed with muskets.
The sun shone in their faces and we had a good sight of them as they came.
The captain knew them all. He said that there were three very honest fellows among them who had gone into this business against their will. All the rest, however, were bad men who were ready to do any wicked deed.
We now set free two of our prisoners, for they seemed to be trustworthy men and glad that matters had turned in the captain"s favor.
"Can we trust them, Captain?" I asked.
"I will stand good for them," said the captain.
I gave them each a gun. We had now seven armed men to meet the ten who were coming to the shore.
But we kept ourselves hidden and waited to see what they would do.
As soon as they reached the shore they ran to see the other boat. What was their surprise to find her stripped of everything and a hole in her bottom.
They shouted, but no one answered.
They fired off their muskets, making the woods ring with their echoes. But still there was no answer.
Then they launched their boat again, and all started to the ship.
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