were also prisoners: some of them answered, _Zounds, we don't trouble
our heads what we are, let's have t'other bowl of punch_.

A watchword was given, and no boat to be admitted on board the ship.
This word, which was for that night, _Coventry_, was known to them. At 8
o'clock they manned the twelve-oared boat, and the one they found at
Mayotta, with 24 men, and set out for the ship. When they were put off,
the captain of the Speaker desired them to come back, as he wanted to
speak with them. Capt. Booth asked what he wanted! He said, "they could
never take his ship." "Then," said Booth, "we'll die in or alongside of
her."--"But," replied the captain, "if you will go with safety, don't
board on the larboard side, for there is a gun out of the steerage
loaded with partridge, which will clear the decks." They thanked him,
and proceeded.

When they were near the ship they were hailed, and the answer was, _the
Coventry_. "All well," said the mate, "get the lights over the side;"
but spying the second boat, he asked what boat that was? One answered it
was a raft of water, another that it was a boat of beef; this
disagreement in the answers made the mate suspicious, who cried
out--_Pirates, take to your arms my lads_, and immediately clapped a
match to a gun, which, as the priming was before wet by the treachery of
Hugh Man, only fizzed. They boarded in the instant, and made themselves
masters of her, without the loss of a man on either side.

The next day they put necessary provisions on board the French built
ship, and gave her to the captain of the Speaker, and those men who
would go off with him, among whom was Man, who had betrayed his ship;
for the pirates had both paid him the 100_l_ agreed, and kept his
secret. The captain having thus lost his ship, sailed in that which the