“Yes, he was what you might call a ‘hustler,’” laughed his father. “And it undoubtedly was the speed with which he carried out his nefarious projects that made him successful to a large extent. But like many another famous man, Morgan’s deeds have been greatly exaggerated, and his real character was very different from that we are accustomed to attribute to him, for romance, imagination and fiction have, through the passing years, surrounded him with a halo of false gallantry, bravery and decency. In reality Morgan was an ignorant, unprincipled, ruthless, despicable character, utterly selfish and heartless, dishonorable and with scarcely a redeeming trait, aside from personal courage. But like many of the buccaneers he displayed most remarkable and contradictory traits at times. It is said that whenever a priest or minister fell into his clutches he compelled the clergyman to hold divine services on the ship, and that on more than one occasion, he shot down his own men for not attending service or for disrespectful behavior during a religious ceremony. What became of the unfortunate clerics after Morgan was done with them is not recorded, but the chances are that he compelled them to walk the plank or put an end to their careers in some equally summary manner, for that was ‘Harry Morgan’s way,’ as he was fond of saying.” “But tell me, Dad,” asked Jack, “did the buccaneers always kill or torture their prisoners?” “No,” his father assured him. “As a rule they treated their prisoners with consideration. Some of the more bloodthirsty tortured and butchered them out of hand, but in most cases the prisoners were either held for ransom or were set ashore or turned loose in boats. It was, in a way, to the buccaneers’ advantage to give quarter, for they knew that in case any of their number fell into the Spaniards’ hands they would be treated according to the way they had treated Spanish captives—or perhaps worse—for the Dons were past masters in the art of devising most atrocious tortures.