Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer

the interval. In the first place, Morgan had organized and drilled the ship's crew relentlessly. With the aid of the five principal adventurers, whom he had con

ie which produced unity among the brethren-of-the-coast had ceased to be regarded, so far as he was concerned. He took care, however, to be upon fairly amicable terms with the officers in command and the veterans, thoug

en and soldiers of the frigate who had happened to be under hatches the night of the capture. Presented with the choice of instant death or adherence to the band, most of them had accepted the latter alternative, although, to their great credit be it said, not until one or two of the loyal veterans, who had hotly refused to have anything to do with their ruffianly captors, had been forced to walk the plank as an example to the rest should they prove recalc

es were assembled on that very ship. The officers and men who had been recruited from Isla La Vaca, as well as the older original members of the crew of the Mary Rose, together with a select few of the remainder, were men of approved courage. The officers, indeed, bore reputatio

and his skill as high as when he had led the greatest buccaneer fleet that had ever assembled, on the famous Panama expedition. Everybody on the ship hated him except young Teach and the faithful Black Dog; the old buccaneers because he had betrayed them, the soldiers a

tterly resented and which they would have called in question had the situation been other than it was. Truth to tell, influenced by Hornigold, they had embarked upon a mad enterprise, and they needed Morgan to bring it to a successful conclusion. Without him the slender coherence which already existed would fail, and anarchy would be the state upon the ship. There would be

e counted freely upon the backing of the veterans amon

sailors, catching the title from those who had known him of old, referred to with malignant hatred as "Black Dog." That was a name, indeed, which the taciturn half-breed rather rejoiced in than resented. Morgan had been able to awaken love in no hearts except those of yo

and evil soul, and he watched him on account of it more closely than the others, but with no great disquiet in his heart. Truth to tell, the old pirate was never so happy as in the midst of dangers, imminent and threatening, which would have broken the spirit of a less resolute man. There was one among the officers he was sure of and upon whom he cou

. But there was as yet little outward friction among them. Raveneau, for instance, was most scrupulously polite to the captain and his associates. Velsers

ong hours at the great guns and with small arms, they did not have any too much leisure for play. During the night they kept watch and watch, of course, but in it all they took no care of the ship, and filth and dirt abounded. If they had anticipated a long cruise things would necessarily have been different, but as they had gone far to the southward now, and m

m on board. The men were congregated forward on the forecastle or in the waist, wrangling and arguing as usual. The officers gathered on the quarter-deck, and Morgan paced the high raised poop alone, overlooking them, when the l

her decks, from her spritsail yard to her huge mizzen crossjack, a lateen sail. The wind was light, but she was making ra

ass of sailors. He ran a short distance up the weather fore-shrouds and took a long look at the strangers. They all flew the yellow flag

wo frigates would have been ample to ward off the attack of any of the small piratical craft which had succeeded the buccaneer ships of the Caribbean. The Spaniards had no idea that such a vulture as Morgan was afloat; therefore, although they had sighted the Mary Rose long before she h

rgan at once determined to attack them. He knew that he possessed the handiest ship, and he believed that he had discovered a way to master the other three. The two frigates were the most dangerous antagonists. If he could dis

ooking alternately from the foreign ships to their own leader, lightly poised on the sheer-poles scanning the enemy. There were plenty of men of sufficient experience among them to

d, "those are

as he paused a moment to let the sign

hroughout the ship, "the great one will be one of the plate shi

uted and hurrahed at the joyous announcement, as if all they had to do was to g

k, I never saw the buccaneer who wasn't worth three or a dozen of the Dons, and with a stout ship like this one under my feet and a band of brave hearts like you I wouldn't hesitate to tackle the whole Spanish navy. It means a little fighting, but think of the prize!" he c

naked cutlass as he spoke. His cry was taken up and repeated, first by one and then another

ts of the ship. See that the best hands are at the wheel and have sail trimmers ready. My Portuguese friend, you may look to the after guns. Now to your stations. Cast loose and provide! Man the larboard batte

cannon of the ship were cast loose and loaded, loggerheads and matches lighted, small arms distributed and primed, pikes were served out, cutlasses loose

Hornigold as the men settled down

g. We'll make as much trouble for his gr

hey were rapidly approaching the Spanish ship now, Morgan descended from the poop-deck to make a personal inspection of his frigate before beginni

so placed that opportunity for showing cowardice would be greatly circumscribed, and the stern command of the captain that the officers and petty officers should instantly shoot any man who flinched from duty was not witho

as close to windward of that Spanish ship as you can bring her without touching. Let her not suspe

oom with his one eye as if measuring the distance, "I'll bring her clos

consciousness and

her with one broadside. It'll be touch and go, for we've got to dispose of her in an instant. Stand by for the word! Now

s crowded with men. Among her people the flash of sunlight upon iron helms denoted that she carried a company of soldiers. The Spaniards were entirely unsuspecting. The men had not gone to their quarter

Mary Rose was hailed by a tall, richly dressed officer in glistening breas

at?" he cried in

s His Britannic Majesty's frigate Mary Rose," but the Spaniards suspected nothing as Morg

a very good morning," answered the Spaniar

ow!" said Morgan i

quickly until it was hard up. The frigate answered it instantly. She swung away towa

sh captain, just as the English ship swept down upon

an you? You will be aboard o

off, ay, even before her motion had been pe

by spoke with all the force of his arms. "Flatten in aft a little, he

wind again. She was now almost in touch with the other ship. Hornigold's seamanship and ski

iumphant commendation. "Handsom

The captain, with his face black with rage

shouted. "You have nearly ru

"Up, lads!" he cried. As the men sprang to their feet, he

he guns, the crew seized the small arms ready charged to hand, and as they slowly swept by poured a withering fire upon the Spaniard's crowded decks. Out of the flame and smoke the Mary Rose burst upon the astounded eyes of the officers and men of the t

or," roared Morgan, facing aft toward the batter

t was drowned by the laughter and cheering of the English crew. They had eliminated the first ship from the