"And he roared: 'Fetch out The Plank!' "There was a pause. No one moved. "'Blood and Bones!' roared old Pedro, 'don't you hear me? Fetch out The Plank!' "At this the bo's'n, Aaron Halyard, stepped forward. "'Oh there you are, are you, Halyard?' bellowed the pirate chief, 'well, why don't you fetch out The Plank? It's your duty,--you're in charge of it.' "The bo's'n pulled at his forelock, and bowed to his commander. "'Beggin' yer pardin, Cap'n,' said he, 'kin I have a word with yer private-like? Lemme whisper in yer ear, if I may make so bold--' "'No whispering,' returned his chief, 'no whispering here. What's the matter with you anyway? And why don't you fetch out The Plank?'" '"Well, Cap'n,' said the bo's'n, rubbing his hands together, nervously, 'you know ME. I've been with you ever since you begun. I was with you in the days of the old 'Panther,' an'--' "'Cut it short!' shouted Pedro. "'Well, Cap'n,' the bo's'n repeated, with his knees knocking together, 'I never was so mortified in all my life--specially in front of all the gentry here,' pointing his thumb toward the Spanish prisoners, 'but the fact is, Cap'n, I've clean forgot where I put The Plank!' "'Forgot!' screamed old Pedro. "'Yessir, plumb forgot. I jus' can't remember for the life of me, where I put her. I know I brought her aboard myself, an' I'd a- taken my affydavy I put her under my bunk, but when I looked for her, when we fust sighted this here galleon, strike me foolish if she was there at all! I asked the cook about it. He'll tell yer so hisself--an' he--' "'Cut it short!' Pedro roared again. "He glared around him--did old Pedro--like an infuriated lion. Once he raised his cutlass and seemed about to sweep off the bo's'n's head with it. At last he said in a choked voice-- "'Well, for goodness' sake, think! Can't you remember what you did with it?' "Aaron shook his head dumbly. Then as he stood there, quaking, a sudden gleam of intelligence came into his eye. "'That's it!' he said,'that's it. The cook wanted an ironin' board, he said, and he borrowed it--' "He broke off, and scrambled hastily over the side of 'The Angel of Death.' Then he rushed below, and in a few minutes came back, nervously tearing off some sheets of white cloth, which surrounded the handsome, hand-carved, mahogany Plank. "'Lucky for you!' bellowed Pedro, 'now put her in place, boys!' "His men put her in place and the Spanish crew had the pleasure of starting the long procession of victims who were to go overboard by that route in the years to come.