Malayans, with three of his sailors; and that either you, or some who
were on board you, ran away with the ship, and are since turned pirates
at sea. Now, Sir, this is the sum of what I had to say: and I can
positively assure you, that if you are taken, you will be executed
without much ceremony, for undoubtedly you cannot but be sensible what
little law merchant ships show to pirates, whenever they fall into
their hands_.

"Sir,' said I, 'I thank you for your kind information; and though I am
sure no man could come more honestly by the ship than I have done, yet
knowing their enterprize, and being satisfied of your honest intention,
I'll be upon my defence. _Pr'ythee, Sir,_ said the man, _don't talk of
being upon your defence, the best that you can make is to be out of
danger; and therefore, if you have any regard for your life, & the lives
of your men, take the advantage, without fail, of putting out to sea at
high-water: by which means, as you have a whole tide before you, you
will be gone too far out of their reach before they can come down._

"I am mighty well satisfied," said I, "in this particular, and for your
kindness, which merits my great esteem; pray, Sir, what amends shall I
make you?" He replied, "I know not what amends you are willing to make,
because you may have some doubts of its certainty: but, to convince you
of the truth of what I say, I have one offer to make to you. On board
one of the English ships, I have nineteen months pay due to me, and this
Dutchman that is with me has seven months pay due to him, which if you
will make good to us, we will go along with you. If you shall find that
there is nothing in what we have said, then we shall desire nothing; but
when you are convinced that we have saved the ship, your life, and the
lives of the men, we will leave the whole to your generosity."