"The information Pedro has given us must not be neglected," observed Adair. "He may be mistaken, but if the Brazilians think that they can get hold of the slaves they will try to do so without scruple, and will cut the throats of every one of us should they find it necessary to carry out their object. Go and turn out our people, and I will have a talk with Snatchblock on the subject." Desmond, making his way forward, roused up the prize crew, cautiously awaking each man separately, so that the slaver's people should not hear them. Adair followed him on deck, and told Snatchblock what he had heard. "Well, sir, to my mind the first thing we have to do is to secure the Brazilian fellows we have on board, for if we are attacked by their friends from the shore, as Pedro thinks likely, we shall have them, may be, playing us some trick," answered Ben. "Either they will let the slaves loose and set them up to murdering us; or if they can get hold of arms they will set on us themselves, should they see a chance of helping our enemies." Adair thought Ben's advice good, and told him to get a sufficient number of lengths of rope to secure the fellows. This was quickly done, and Adair and his men went into the berth, and soon had all the Brazilians secured, almost before they were awake. He had Pedro lashed like the rest; Adair whispered, however, into his ear that he did so for his own sake, as should he be suspected of having given the Englishmen information he probably would be murdered by his countrymen. Pedro, indeed, seemed perfectly satisfied to be so treated. "They no countrymen of mine, though," he answered, in a low voice, "they Brazilians, I true-born Portuguese." "Well, whatever you are, I am much obliged to you, and hope to reward you some day for the assistance you have given us," answered Adair. "I should have taken the fellow to have a larger share of negro than white blood in him by his looks," observed Adair to Desmond as they went aft; "however, I really believe that he is honest, and we should not despise his warning." He had all the arms and ammunition to be found on board collected, each of his crew being provided with a musket and a brace of pistols, in addition to their cutlasses; he and Desmond also armed themselves. A dozen spare muskets which he had carefully looked to and loaded were arranged, some aft, others midships and forward. There were also two small brass guns, used for signals rather than defence. No shot, however, could be found for them, so he sent a couple of men to collect all the nails and scraps of iron they could find in the carpenter's store-room. "These will make cruel wounds, but it will be the fellows' own fault if they venture to attack us, should some of them stick in their bodies," he observed, as the guns were loaded. A dozen boarding-pikes were also found and served out to the men.