I went back to the deck to get my bearings. From one and another, so far as the tumult which was on the ship permitted, I made out that the taking of the _Charles the Second_ was in this wise: Mr. Every, using the common grief about the wages to serve his turn, made fellow-plotters of some score of men, both in the _Charles the Second_ and the _James_. The night having been picked out on the calendar, it was agreed that at a given time by the clock one from the _Charles the Second_ should go to the _James_ and say that the _Charles the Second_ was being run off. The officers of the _James_, it was expected, would order out the pinnace in pursuit, when the friends of Mr. Every were to crowd forward, fill the boat, and make for the _Charles the Second_, where instead of arresting her they would turn to and haul together with their companion miscreants of the _Charles the Second_, who in the meantime would have seized the ordnance and ammunitions aboard our ship. The cables of the _Charles the Second_ were to be cut, all but two of her boats turned adrift, and her sails shaken out loose. Things went smoothly according to plan. At nine o’clock one went from the _Charles the Second_ to the _James_. At the head of the gangway of that ship he found Mr. Druit, mate, on watch. Says he to Mr. Druit-- “Have you seen the drunken boatswain of ours aboard your ship?” “No,” says Mr. Druit. “Isn’t he aboard of you?” “Nay,” said the villain conspirator; “he’s not aboard, but mischief is.” He leaned close to the mate and whispered-- “They’re running off with the _Charles the Second_.” At once Mr. Druit bellowed for the pinnace to be got out, which, of course, merely gave the ruffians their cue. Twenty-six men, laden with their hammocks and sea gear, immediately rushed forth and manned the pinnace. “Here--here--” cries Mr. Druit, seeing a wicked game going; but the rascals had their oars in the water and made off in the dark, swearing and singing. Thereupon Captain Humphries, of the _James_, rushed to the rail and shouted through his speaking-trumpet that his boat was being stolen, to which Mr. Every, likewise through a trumpet, impertinently answered he knew that well enough. So they came to our ship and knotted themselves together with our rascals. No sooner had the runaways from the _James_ thrown their hammocks to our deck than light sail was set, and we stood out of the harbor, this being the motion which had first brought me a-running from my cabin. At eleven o’clock the topsail was braced back, and we lay to. Mr. Every, who now called himself captain, sent word about the ship that certain ones were free to leave in the pinnace of the _James_ if so they chose. Men of spirit, he said, would stay by the ship and collect their back pay. And he laughed. V