A change was marked on his face, and his demeanour was more subdued and more self-possessed.
“Young man,” said Appadocca, as he stood before him, “I set you at liberty, you shall have a small boat, which will in a moment be ready for you, you will be able to skull to your ship. I cannot, I am sorry to say, spare any of my men to help you. I see she is preparing to weigh anchor. Take my compliments to the commander himself, and tell him, to take the advice of one, who has experienced much kindness at his hands, and by no means to move from his anchorage to-day. Ask him to consult a calculation which I made on the partition of the cabin in which I was confined, and he will know the reason. Before you leave the schooner, ask the officer of the watch for a letter which I shall send to your commander’s son.”
Appadocca then descended into his cabin and wrote thus:—
“Dear Hamilton,
“The consummation of my existence is now fast approaching; I, therefore, write to you, as I fear it will be the last time that I may have the opportunity of communicating with a dear friend, from whose heart I have experienced so much consideration, and from whose hands I have received so much kindness! It is scarcely necessary for me to tell you, that destiny preserved me from the perils from which few could have hoped to escape.
“I am at the head of my faithful followers once more, and it rejoices me to think that my escape was effected entirely by my own efforts and quite unknowingly to one on whose escutcheon I should not have even virtue itself accidentally to paint a blot. I shall lead the men who have followed me so bravely, and who have served me so faithfully, to some remote spot on the fertile and vast continent that lies on our right, and build them a city in which they may live happily, quietly, and far removed from the world, whose sympathy they cannot hope, and care not, to possess. For myself....
Receive, my dear Charles, the sincere good wishes of one who esteems you.
“Emmanuel Appadocca.”
“N.B.—Recollect and prevail upon your father not to set sail to-day. Remember the tempest of which I spoke, it will come within these twenty-four hours.
“E. A.”