Bucklaw had endorsed every man that he had chosen; indeed, Phips knew that many of them were old friends of Bucklaw.

Again, of this he had no fear; Bucklaw was a man of desperate deeds, but he knew that in himself the pirate had a master.

Besides, he would pick up in Boston a dozen men upon whom he could depend; and cowardice had no place in him.

Again, the Swallow, commanded by Gering, was fitted out with New England seamen; and on these dependence could be put.
Therefore, when there came rumblings of mutiny on the Bridgwater Merchant, there was faithful, if gloomy, obedience, on the Swallow.
Had there been plenty of work to do, had they been at sea instead of at anchor, the nervousness would have been little; but idleness begot irritation, and irritation mutiny.

Or had Bucklaw been on deck, instead of in the surgeon's cabin playing a hard game with death, matters might not have gone so far as they did; for he would have had immediate personal influence repressive of revolt.