“Were you in any more danger than either of us? You should have been proud because your particular friends had their eyes wide open enough to see us while we were slippin’ down the harbor, though I’m allowin’ there isn’t very much chance for pride in their marksmanship.” “I wouldn’t have been frightened if I hadn’t been trussed up in this fashion, for if the sloop had been swamped, as seemed likely when the shots were comin’ so thickly, I couldn’t raise a finger to save myself.” “I didn’t count that you should be able to do anythin’ of the kind. If your friends had sunk us, it was time for you to go to the bottom, since we’re not countin’ that you’ll ever have the chance to work us more injury.” “Do you count on murderin’ me?” Luther cried with a wail of agony, and Abraham replied with a laugh: “Not a bit of it, because you’re so worthless that I couldn’t afford to remember I’d had a hand in puttin’ you out of the way. But I don’t count on givin’ you a chance to escape, and whenever your friends press us too hard, you’ll be stowed where whatever of harm comes will strike you first. Just now, seein’ that you can’t do us a mischief, I’m goin’ to give you a chance to move about a bit.” From the sounds which followed I fancied that Abe was unloosening the Tory’s bonds, therefore was not surprised when the cur poked his head out of the cuddy hatch, most like in order to get an idea of where we were. “It’s not a pleasant thing to have before one’s eyes,” I said when Abe came on deck again; “but I reckon it was no more than right he should have a chance to get the cramps out of his limbs.” “He can’t do any harm now that we’re so far at sea, an’ because he’s like to have a long spell of layin’ in harness when we work inland again, it seems no more than decent to ease up on him a little, though I’m willin’ to admit we haven’t any call to show mercy after all he has done, an’ tried to do, to us. When Abel Grant comes aboard, as please God he may before another night has worn away, it shall be for him to say what we’ll do with the sneak.” Luther Stedman heard these words, and he shrank back out of sight as if having received a blow, as well he might, for it was wholly due to him that our comrade had been made a prisoner, and it was not likely that, having just come from quarters on the Good Hope, Abel would be inclined to mercy while passing sentence on the Tory cur who had worked him so much harm. It was not pleasing to see the Tory moving about in the cuddy as if he was a member of our company; but better that than inflict torture, and we pulled the hatch over the companion-way to shut him out from view. When we had run five or six miles from the land, I proposed that we heave to, rather than take the chances of going so far away that we might not be able to get back on time, and from then until nearly sunrise it was only a question of making ourselves as comfortable as possible.