Zuares, who seemed in a perfect stupor, came last. There were taken from them the revolver, of which Mr. Basset had been deprived, with his watch and rings, six old brass-barrelled pistols, and about a dozen sheath-knives.
"Pedro Barradas--where is Pedro?" asked Captain Phillips, suddenly; "every rascal is in the boat but he."
"He is not on deck, sir," said Mr. Foster.
"Can he have been killed--or has he jumped overboard?"
"Not likely the last--he is too cowardly to die if he can help it."
"Search the bunks forward--lose no time."
There Pedro was found and dragged forth. He offered no resistance, but moaned heavily, and hung lifeless in their hands.
"Hoist the carrion up, and over with him," said Captain Phillips, who, though naturally one of the kindest and jolliest of men, seemed, for the time, to be hardened and pitiless, as he said, "all mercy had been quite squeezed out of him."
"Stop, if you please," said Heriot, who looked earnestly at Pedro's eyes, and felt his pulse; "we must not be quite so merciless to them as they would have been to us."
"What do you mean, doctor?" asked Phillips, impatiently.
And certainly Pedro's face, when viewed by the cold, clear light of the waning moon, presented a most striking and appalling aspect. His features were regular, even handsome; his black eyes, that nearly met over the long and well-cut nose, seemed darker now; his tawny hue was gone, and a death-like tint, as of white marble, had replaced it, forming a singular contrast to the intense blackness of his beard, moustache, and curly hair; his lower jaw had fallen, his eyes were almost closed, his respirations were heavy and uncertain, his pulse was low and sinking, and he drooped helplessly in the arms of Foster and Morrison, who had dragged him to the port gangway.
"Are you sure of what you say, doctor?" asked Captain Phillips, earnestly.
"Quite, sir; ah! these terrible signs are not to be mistaken."
"Then, how long do you think he may live?"
"Till midday to-morrow--certainly not until midnight."
"In that case," said Captain Phillips, turning to the others, after a pause, during which much reviling and growling were heard alongside, "we must temper justice with mercy. Our own safety requires that we must rid ourselves of those rascals; but this one, although the worst and leader of them all, may remain on board, and die at his leisure. Stow him away in the bunks, Foster; and, doctor, give him a touch of your skill."