"'Don't congratulate yourself too soon,' replied my friend. 'Depend upon it, Black Ben will yet pay you a visit.'
"'I have heard so much of him that I must say my curiosity is really greater than my terror.'
"'See here!' interrupted the captain, starting up in sudden excitement; 'you're going to start down the river next week?'
"'A week from to-morrow.'
"'Good! You take Dick and Tom, your usual help?'
"'Of course.'
"'I ship with you as a common hand, just on purpose to help you to a sight of Black Ben. What do you say?'
"The proposition struck me very favorably, and I urged the captain to it. As he was ten times as rich as I was, I didn't exactly like the idea of his going as a common hand, although on my flatboat there was no other position for him. It was finally agreed that he should pass himself as one of my assistants; but as there was no need of his work, he was to do little more than dress himself as such, to deceive any one whom we might encounter, while he might accommodate the labor to himself.
"We made all our arrangements as if certain of encountering this fellow. We went more fully armed than we ever did before, and it was agreed that when we reached that part of the river where we had reason to expect the appearance of Black Ben, or where there was the least likelihood of his seeing us, that nobody should show themselves above deck except Captain Hallongton and myself. This was for the purpose of making the pirate believe there were only two of us on board, and thus luring him on to what we hoped would be his destruction.