“Nor I you, Sir Richard. I thought you had perished on the fatal day when the Royal James blew up.”
“No; thanks to you, my life was spared; for after we were parted, I was picked up by an English boat.”
Sir Richard Haddock informed Wenlock that he had come out as commodore to the American station. His ship was the Leopard, of fifty-four guns.
“The pirates fought well,” he observed; “and as many perished in attempting to blow up the ship, we shall have but few to hand over to the executioner when we arrive in Virginia, whither I am now bound.”
As both ships, after the action, required a good deal of repair, the commodore accepted Captain Dinan’s offer of piloting him into the harbour. It was a trial to Wenlock to find himself once more among his former associates; for he had met several of the officers of the Leopard when serving under Lord Ossory. They, however, treated his opinions with respect. In truth, thanks to the courage and talents exhibited by William Penn, the character of the sect had been raised considerably in the opinion of the public of late; albeit, there were many who were ready to ridicule and persecute them on occasion. Happily, too, there was no time for idleness, as officers and crew were engaged from sunrise to sunset in repairing the damaged ships.
One day, old Rullock came up to Wenlock, who had gone alone a little distance from the village.
“I do not know what you think of that young gentleman, Master Ford,” said Rullock; “but I have an idea that he is a rogue in grain, and a fool into the bargain, as many rogues are. He was so frightened in the hurricane that he does not want to go to sea again. I heard him talking the other day with three or four passengers and several of the crew about a plan he had proposed to remain behind. They have a notion that if they were to set the Amity on fire before we get the cargo on board, the captain would only be too glad to leave those who might wish to stay behind; he going off in the Leopard, or the pirate ship. Master Ford thinks, as the chief part of the stores would be left behind, they would have the advantage of them. They have induced three or four silly young women to promise to remain with them. Of course, the plan of burning the ship is a secret. Soon after I heard the precious plan, they invited me to join them; because, knowing that I had been an evil-doer, they thought I should have no scruple about the matter.”
Wenlock, on hearing this, immediately sought the captain.
“It would be very easy to prevent these plans being carried out,” he said; “but what to do with Ford and his companions is more difficult.”
The captain took the matter very coolly.