Three or four days thus passed away. We could hear nothing of the captain, for the only person we saw was the negro, and when we asked him, he only shook his head, and intimated that he did not understand what we said. Mr Gale, after a time, aroused himself, and gave us instructions in various matters; and Peter and one of the other men told some capital stories, and we all took it by turns to sing songs. I was not a bad hand at that, by-the-by; I had learned several as a child, and had picked up others since then, and as my voice was a good one, my songs were generally favourites.
The time, however, began to hang rather heavily on our hands, when one evening a stranger made his appearance, and looking at me, said in English, “Youngster, you are wanted.” I was startled at hearing the sound of an English voice; but I, of course, thought the captain wanted me, so I went, very willing to accompany him. The trap was bolted behind me. He took me to one of the largest cottages I had observed, and entering it, pointed to a door, and told me to go in. I did so, and there I saw seated at a table the identical old gentleman whom I believed to be called Captain Ralph. He did not look a day older than when he came on board the Rainbow off Saint Kitt’s, and he wore the same old-fashioned three-cornered hat and laced-coat.
“You have seen me before, lad,” said he, eyeing me closely.
“Yes, sir,” said I, resolving to be frank with him; “on board the Rainbow.”
“You are attached to your captain, and would wish to do him a service?” he added.
“Yes, sir,” said I. “What do you want me to do?”
“Tell him that all his people have taken the oaths and joined the confederacy,” he answered, looking at me hard.
“I don’t know what oaths, or what else you mean, sir,” I answered. “I cannot tell him anything that is not true.”
“What? a ship-boy with a conscience?” he exclaimed, bursting into a fit of laughter. “I tell you, lad, you must do as you are bid.”
“Yes, sir, I’ll do what my captain tells me,” I replied, simply. “But for the matter of saying anything to deceive him, I won’t do it. I’ll tell him the truth, and then he’ll know how to act.”