"Of course we should," said Poole. "Come on, Fitz;" for just then Don Ramon came up to the mate to make a flowery speech, telling him that he left him in perfect confidence to hold the prize while he went to see to the disposal of the rest of the prisoners who were left, so that no attempt might be made to regain the upper hand. Poole turned to Fitz expecting to see him eager to follow the carpenter, but it was to find him standing with one foot upon the platform of the great gun, looking at the muzzle, as it sloped toward the sky, evidently deep in thought, and he did not stir until Poole laid a hand upon his arm with the query-- "What are you thinking about?" "That night," was the reply. "So was I just now," said Poole. "Look there, that's where I lay with one of the Spaniards holding me down, and afraid to make a sound, or to struggle. It was horrid, and I couldn't tell what sort of a position you were in. It was ticklish work and no mistake." "Yes," said Fitz, thoughtfully, "horrible for you, but I believe it was worse for me, because something seemed to be tagging at me all the time and telling me that I had no business there." Poole looked at his companion curiously. "But you felt that you must do it, didn't you?" he said. "Oh, yes," cried Fitz, "I was desperate; but I never want to go through such a five minutes again. Let's see, I stepped along there," he continued, pointing and following the steps his memory taught him that he must have taken to get round to the back of the great gun. "Yes, this is exactly where I stood to swing round those great balls and open the breech, but only to be disappointed, finding as I did that the block was fast. Oh, Poole, how I did tug and strain at it, feeling all the while that I had been boasting and bragging to your father, and that after all I was only a poor miserable impostor who had been professing to know a great deal, when I was as ignorant as could be, and that I was being deservedly punished in that terrible failure that was taking place." "Ah, I remember," cried Poole; "you said the block stuck fast?" "Yes, till the idea came that I had not turned the great screw far enough." "But you ought to have made sure of that at first." "Of course I ought," cried Fitz sharply, "and I ought to have been as cool and calm as possible when doing such a venturesome thing--in the pitch-darkness, with perhaps ten or a dozen of the Spanish sailors--the watch--" "The watch!" cried Poole, laughing. "Come, I like that." "Well, then, men lying about all round us. You were perfectly cool of course?" "I!" replied Poole. "Why I was in a state of high fever. I didn't know whether I was on my head or my heels. I believe, old fellow, that I was half mad with excitement."