But whither away such a frail vessel in the immensity of the ocean, and still going farther out to sea? and what could be the design of the individual who seemed to brave so recklessly the fury of the waves?
Upon closer observation it might have been perceived, that the person who sat alone at the stern of the canoe was our old acquaintance, Jack Jimmy.
As soon as his master was captured, he had taken to flight, but not with the design of abandoning the interest of his young master, as he still called Appadocca. He had managed to insinuate himself among the coteries of boatmen and porters that skulked about the beach, and unobserved among them, he had been able to watch what befell his master. Effectually he saw Appadocca, when he was marched down a prisoner to the boat, and witnessed his embarkation. He discovered by his inquiries, that the boat belonged to the British man-of-war, that was then lying off the harbour, and heard the tale which had by that time become a nine day’s wonder of the place, “of a man who was taken by a pirate, thrown overboard, picked up by a vessel, and had come to St. Thomas’ after the pirate, and had had him taken.”
Jack Jimmy had now gained sufficient intelligence; his own sagacity developed to him the whole extent of his master’s position.
“Good bye, buddee,” he cried, as soon as he had heard the last word of the story, and set off, at the height of the speed at which his short legs would carry him, and left his wondering story-tellers in convulsive laughter at his apparent eccentricity.
Jack Jimmy kept running in this manner for nearly two hours, without any abatement of the speed with which he had started. Perspiration flowed in torrents over his cheeks, and those who met him, stopped to stare at the individual who was so eccentrically giving himself such violent exercise while exposed to the scorching rays of a vertical sun.
Jack Jimmy did not stop until he reached a secluded spot by the sea-shore, where, at the foot of two opposing hills, the sea had eaten away a deep recess, and had left as in exchange for the land which it had robbed, numbers of strange and beautiful shells, that paved the place. Within this natural shelter, some fishermen’s canoes were drawn up. Jack Jimmy looked around him carefully, and seeing no one at hand, he walked up to one of the canoes, and with two stones managed to grind asunder the small rope with which it was fastened to a stake, and then concentrating his powers, endeavoured to launch it. But his strength was not equal to the task: vainly he repeated his efforts—still no success—he gave up the task, for the moment, in despair, and sat on the ground and wept from vexation.
His despair soon gave way to a fiercer feeling.
“You must go in de water,” he cried, addressing the canoe, and rising in desperation, he applied his strength to it again;—it began to move a little, “Tenk Gad,” Jack Jimmy cried. Again another strain:—it moved again, and by little and little, Jack Jimmy got it nearer and nearer to the water’s edge: by one long and straining effort he finally succeeded in launching it.
He sprang into it as soon as it was afloat, tore up one of the thwarts, and paddled with it vigorously out to sea.