Some rolls of
goods were left upon the ground which Mary thought were carpets, but
which Abner believed to be rich Persian rugs, or something of that
kind.
Now the captain stepped aside, and picking up from the sand some little
sticks and reeds, he selected ten of them, and with these in one hand,
and with their ends protruding a short distance above his closed
fingers, he rejoined his men. They gathered before him, and he held out
toward them the hand which contained the little sticks.
"They're drawing lots!" gasped Abner, and Mary trembled more than she
had done yet.
Now the lots were all drawn, and one man, apparently a young pirate,
stepped out from among his fellows. His head was bowed, and his arms
were folded across his manly chest. The captain spoke a few words, and
the young pirate advanced alone to the side of the deep hole.
Mary now shut her eyes tight, tight; but Abner's were wide open. There
was a sudden gleam of cutlasses in the air; there was one short,
plaintive groan, and the body of the young pirate fell into the hole.
Instantly all the other goods, furs, rugs, or whatever they were, were
tumbled in upon him. Then the men began to shovel in the earth and sand,
and in an incredibly short time the hole was filled up even with the
ground about it.
Of course all the earth and sand which had been taken out of the hole
could not now be put back into it.
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