"Our people were not suspected till they got almost alongside the schooner, when the Americans, seeing strange faces instead of their own friends, could not doubt what sort of customers they had to deal with. They seized what arms they could lay their hands on to defend themselves; but it was too late for resistance. Hallton and his crew were on board before they had time to load a musket. "The greater number were cut down on the instant: a few defended themselves on the fore port of the vessel, but the second boat following, boarded on the bow, when these too were quickly overpowered. Not one of our party was hurt. The master of the schooner and his two mates were killed. Some of the crew, to whom we offered their lives on condition of joining us, accepted our terms; but several refused to do so. After taking possession of our prize, which was a remarkably fine schooner, just suited to our purpose, we set to work to dispose of our prisoners. Hallton, with his usual diabolical cunning, hit upon a plan to secure the obedience of those of the schooner's crew who had joined us, by making them murder the remainder of their shipmates. "It was cold-blooded, dreadful work. The victims were compelled to stand at the gangway, while, one by one, their former friends advanced with a pistol, and, blowing out their brains, hove them into the sea. Two men had thus been murdered, when it came to the turn of a youth of respectable appearance, the son of the owner, I think he was, to perform the part of executioner. He had at first consented to live, but I have my doubts whether he did not even then contemplate what he afterwards attempted. "Seizing the pistol which was offered him, with a stern look he advanced towards the wretch he was ordered to kill; but, instead of drawing the trigger, he turned suddenly round, and taking a deliberate aim at our captain, fired. The ball grazed the captain's cheek. With a look of fury he rushed with his drawn cutlass at the daring youth, who, standing firmly prepared for his fate, was cut down on the deck. Life ebbing fast away from several tremendous gashes, the young man lifted himself from the deck on one arm-- "`Wretch,' he said, `my pistol missed its aim, or I should have saved the lives of my companions, and your crew from further crime; but be assured that your career of wickedness will quickly be brought to a close, and that the fate to which you have consigned so many others will soon be your own. May Heaven pardon me for what I would have done!' "`Heave the young villain overboard, some of you! and stop his prating,' exclaimed the captain, stamping with fury. "But none of us stirred--hardened as we were, we could not do it: even we were struck by his heroism; and at that moment, had he chosen to be our captain, we would gladly have deposed Hallton and followed the dying youth in his stead.