Sure and it's well I took yer
honor's advice."
The four Sepoy officers also exchanged a few words with Charlie. They,
too, would have resisted, had he given the word, hopeless though the
effort would have been. But they acquiesced, at once, in his decision.
They had little to lose; but the thought of a prolonged captivity, and
of being obliged, perhaps, to enter the service of the Mahratta
freebooters, just when about to return to their wives and families at
Madras, was a terrible blow to them.
"Keep up your spirits," Charlie said. "It is a bad business, but we
must hope for the best. If we bide our time, we may see some chance of
escape. You had better lay down your arms in a pile, here. Then we
will sit down quietly, and await their coming on board. They will be
here in a minute, now."
Scarcely had the seven passengers taken their seats in a group, on the
poop, when the freebooters ranged alongside, and swarmed over the
sides onto the deck. Beyond bestowing a few kicks upon the crew, they
paid no attention whatever to them; but tore off the hatches, and at
once proceeded to investigate the contents of the hold. The greater
portion of this consisted of native grains, but there were several
bales of merchandise, consigned by traders at Calicut for Ceylon.
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