"A land breeze enabled us to get to sea that evening, when soon afterwards we parted company with the _Buckingham_, we shaping a course back to Jamaica. We were all very jolly on board, for we had plenty of provisions, and had unexpectedly come in for a nice little lump of prize-money. "I must tell you that Peter had become a great favourite on board, and of this he himself seemed well aware, though he wisely never presumed on it. I had, as I told you, been curious to find out how he was so well acquainted with the haunts of the pirates. At last, one day, I asked him, when I happened to be alone in the berth and he had come to get something out of a locker. "`Me tell you, Massa Tracy, for me now know berry well you my friend,' he answered. "`You're right, Peter,' I replied, `and you may be sure that from nothing you say will you criminate yourself.' "`Me only tell de truth on de honour of gentleman;' and Peter put his hand on his heart as he had seen the Frenchmen do. "`Heave ahead, Peter,' I said, `or your yarn may be out short.' "`Berry well, Massa Tracy,' said Peter. `It happen dis way. I was 'board a French ship, _Les deux Amis_, bound from Bordeaux to Port au Prince, when just as we 'bout twenty league to de eastward ob San Domingo, keeping a look-out dat no English cruiser pick us up, we see one evening, just as de sun go down, a big ship from de nor'ard standing for us. De cappen say she French--de mate say she Spanish--some ob de men say she Dutch--oders strife she English--I not know what to tink. De cappen say, "Best make all sail and stand 'way." So we did; but de bell just strike two in de fust watch, when we see her ranging up alongside. Den de cappen order de guns to be fired; but before de matches lighted, de stranger she aboard us. In a few minutes forty savage-looking fellows came springing on to our deck, pistolling some and cutting down oders of de crew. I see at once what going to happen-- if I stay on board de brig, I be killed wid de rest--so I make a leap and gain de fore-rigging ob de stranger. Running for'ard, I leap down de hatchway and stow myself away in a berth. Eben dere I hear de dreadful cries and shrieks ob de crew as dey put to death by de pirates--for such I guess be de gentry into hands whose we hab fallen. I know by de sounds I hear as I lie quaking in de berth dat dey were removing de cargo ob de prize on board dere own ship. It was nearly daylight before dey hab taken out all de cargo dey wish to secure; den dey cast off, and directly afterwards I hear several shot fired. I know dat sooner or later I must show myself, as de watch who hab been working all night would be coming below to turn in; so I creep on deck, and make my way aft to where a man I tink must be de cappen was standing. No one stop me, for dey all too busy or too sleepy to notice me. I take off my hat and make him a polite bow, and ask in English if he want a cabin-steward, as I ready to serve him.