"It is only right we should do so, if for no other reason than to repay you for the care you have had over us on two occasions. We shan't threaten, however, either to sell you to the whalers or make certain you are roasted and eaten; therefore the account won't be really squared however long a time may elapse before we gain a home port."
"Home port?" he cried as if in dismay. "Am I not to be sent ashore at Valparaiso?"
"Captain Porter doesn't consider it necessary to tell us all he intends to do; but I'd be willing to wager considerable that you'll remain in this cage until we are anchored in some port of the United States."
Benson appeared to be staggered by this reply, and during two or three minutes remained as if in deep thought, after which he asked sharply:—
"Why has the guard been changed? Isn't an armed marine enough to keep me here, when it would be impossible to get out unless some one supplied me with the proper tools for prying off the bars?"
"We know nothing more than that we have been ordered on duty," Phil replied curtly. "If the captain had counted on your understanding fully about the business, I reckon one of the lieutenants would have been here before this to make explanations."
Benson gave over for the time being trying to learn the reason for our coming, and appeared eager to be friendly with us, as might be seen when he tried to enter into conversation; but neither Phil nor I gave him any encouragement. We believed there was some serious cause for thus changing the guard, and were determined not to hold more converse with the prisoner than was absolutely necessary.
It was agreed between us that we would stand watch and watch, two hours at a stretch, and that he who was off duty should not leave the other alone more than fifteen minutes at one time.
You see, we suspected that the marines had shown themselves too friendly to the Britisher; and because it was believed by our officers that an escape was being connived at, we were assigned the duty of making certain the sailor-selling Benson remained on board the frigate until he might be sent to some prison more secure than could be found in Chili.
Quarters on the gun-deck were luxurious as compared with those we were forced to occupy while acting as jailers. Above we had good air and plenty of it, save during a severe gale; but in the hold of the frigate we were shut out from everything, even the light of day. One hour was the same as another in that place of blackness; the Essex might overhaul and capture half a dozen prizes without our being any the wiser, and we could only judge what might be the weather by the heel or lurch of the ship. All this we understood before having been on duty an hour; and as I realized that many, many long, dreary days might be spent by us in this disagreeable task, I began to wish most fervently that the Britisher had been left in the Typee village to supply the cannibals with the materials for a feast.