Wolves of the Sea, page 89 by Randall Parrish
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wser, an' hung on till I got back 'nough strength ter clime on board. I knew this wa'n't my ship, so I just lay quiet awhile, figurin' out whar I wus."
"Yer English?" "Born in Bristol, sir, but I wus workin' on the _Caroline_--she's a Colony schooner, in the fish trade."
"Sailor?"
"At sea since I wus twelve. What's this yere bark--Dutch, ain't she?"
"Once upon a time; just now we are flying whatever flag cumes handy. We ain't got no prejudice in flags."
"Is thet a gun forrard, covered with taupalin?"
"Yes, an' yer might find another aft, if yer looked fer it. Mor'n thet, we know how ter use 'em. Now see here, Gates; thar's no reason why we should beat about the bush--fact is we're sea rovers."
"Sea rovers--pirates, sir?"
"Bah! what's a name! We take what we want; it's our trade, that's all. No worse than many another. The question is, are yer goin' ter take a chance 'long with us? It's the only life, lad--plenty of fun, the best of liquor and pretty girls, with a share in all the swag."
"What is the name of this bark?"
"The _Namur_--sailed out o' Rotterdam till we took her."
"Whut wus yer in when ye took her?"
"The Vengeance, a three-masted schooner, the fastest thing afloat. She's south in West India waters."
"Who's the captain?"
"Silva Sanchez."
"Gawd! Sanchez--not--not 'Black Sanchez?'"
"That's him; so yer've heerd o' 'Black Sanchez?' Well, we're sailin' 'long with him, all right, mate, an' yer ought ter know whut thet means fer a good man."
I hesitated, yet only long enough to leave the impression I sought to make on them both.
"Likely thar ain't no sailor but whut has heerd o' him," I said slowly. "Enyhow, I sure have. I can't say thet I have any special hankerin' after bein' a pirate, an' I never aimed ter be one; but, seem' as how I am yere on this bark, an' can't easy get away, it don't look like thar wus much choice, does it?"
LeVere appeared amused in his way, whi