I had already decided how the plan was to be carried out. A piece of whale line lay on the deck near the mainmast, one end of which I dropped down the hatch, making the other end fast at a belaying-pin on the fiferail. Fortunately for me, the men were forward of the house on deck, and the officers were on the quarter-deck, busily engaged in discussing some difficult subject, I judged, by the energy they used in their discourse. The two men who had come off with the mate were taking part in the discussion, and I was confident that Captain Farraday had forgotten all about me.
I descended to the between-decks after I had satisfied myself that I was not observed. Conveying my trunk to the hatch, I attached the whale line to one of the handles. Running up the notched stanchion again, I reached the deck, and took another careful survey of the surroundings before I proceeded any further. The men were still skylarking; the shipping agent sat on the rail watching them, and the group on the quarter-deck had not yet settled the dispute in which they were engaged. The open port was abreast of the hatch. Grasping the line, I hauled my trunk on deck. Dragging it to the port-hole, I lowered it into the boat, where it was taken by the two men.
"Hallo, there, Farringford! What are you about?" shouted Captain Farraday, rushing into the waist, followed by the mate and the two passengers.
I was just congratulating myself on my success in getting away, when my ears were saluted by this unwelcome call. I was determined not to be cast down by the unfortunate discovery, and seizing the rope by which I had lowered my trunk, I slid down upon it into the boat. I considered myself all right then; but youth is proverbially over-confident and over-enthusiastic. The men in the boat cast off the line from my trunk, and pushed off from the bark.
"Hallo, Farringford! Where are you going?" shouted the captain through the open port.
"I have concluded to go on shore again," I replied, with great equanimity, for I felt considerable assurance for the future, now that I was actually out of the bark.
"But you have signed the papers, and belong to the vessel now," replied Captain Farraday.
"I will thank you to scratch my name from the papers," I added.
"Phil Farringford!" shouted the wonderful mate, as he thrust his head out of the port-hole, and apparently for the first time saw and recognized me. "Don't let him get off!"
The head of the mate disappeared. I saw the interest he felt in the matter, and as soon as he comprehended the situation he was very active.