‘It’s all right, Butler,’ bawled a felon, ‘get away aft to your quarters and look to the ship!’
‘It’s time!’ cried a seaman, and as this was said three of the convicts sprang upon the drunken convict and thrust him back into the galley.
‘Lie there!’ roared one of them. ‘Seizing the ship ain’t getting our liberty, curse you!’
Tom took my arm and we went toward the poop. I was terribly frightened. I shuddered and trembled, and said: ‘Where shall I find some convicts’ clothes? Think if I should be forced to change when you were not by to stop it!’
He halted at the foot of the poop-ladder and said: ‘Put this on and give me yours,’ and pulled off his convict coat. It was large and loose, and a more effectual disguise than Will’s serge jacket or my monkey-coat. It was Will’s serge that I handed Tom. He found it small and tossed it to a young convict who stood grinning at us whilst we changed coats.
‘I’ll find clothes when I want them,’ said he, and I followed him up the ladder.
There were several stains of blood about the poop-deck. The sight made me ill. Tom saw the sickness in my face and exclaimed: ‘The heat is too much for you. Go aft to your cousin; I’ll join you in a minute.’ He then, standing at the brass rail, shouted: ‘Aft, a couple of hands, and spread the awning; and lay aft a hand to the wheel! Do you hear?’
Strained as his voice had been by previous exertion, it still rang clear and high, and went through the ship with the carrying note of a bell. I paused when he shouted, and took notice that the convicts on the poop, who were as fairly orderly as the fellows in the waist, looked pleased on hearing him utter this command.
He followed me, and we joined Mr. Bates and Will. Despite my sickness, I found a difficulty in holding my face when I viewed Mr. Bates dressed as a convict. He immediately said, addressing me: ‘I see they have figged you out, also, but not to the heels, as I am. A fellow laid hold of me, though Abram had my arm with Johnstone on t’other side to let the gentry see that we were friends. Abram said: “Change with him. You’ll be safer in that dress and they’ll like you the better in it.”’
‘He’s right,’ said Tom.