"
"I think that is a very good plan," Stephen agreed. "I do not like
the thought of knocking sleeping men on the head any more than you
do; and if we are careful, we might get them all tied up before
an alarm is given. There, the anchor has gone down. I thought very
likely they would not sail at night. That is capital. You may be
sure that they will be pretty close inshore, and they probably will
have only one man on watch; and as likely as not even one, for they
will nor dream of any possible danger."
For another two hours the sound of talk on deck went on, but at
last all became perfectly quiet. The party below waited for another
half hour, and then noiselessly ascended the ladder to the deck,
holding in one hand a cudgel, in the other a number of lengths of
line cut about six feet long. Each as he reached the deck lay down
flat. The Spaniard had been told to remain perfectly quiet while
the other two went about their task.
First they crawled aft, for the bey's guards would, they knew,
be sleeping at that end, and working together they tied the legs
of these men without rousing them. The ropes could not be tightly
pulled, as this would at once have disturbed them. They were therefore
fastened somewhat in the fashion of manacles, so that although the
men might rise to their feet they would fall headlong the moment
they tried to walk.
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