“Shure, Mr Terence, thin I never thought of that,” said Larry; “but maybe the officers will go on shore, and they don’t keep very strict watch aboard here, so I might just manage to slip a grating and a spar or two over the side, to make a raft; then we might paddle on it to the frigate.”
“I don’t see any better plan than you propose,” I answered; “though I would risk a swim and the chances of encountering a shark rather than not make the attempt to escape; for, even supposing the frigate on the other side of those merchantmen should not prove to be the Liffy, we should be welcome on board. It is of the greatest importance that the captain should know of the despatches the brig is carrying to Guadaloupe, so that a watch may be kept on her movements, and that she may be pursued and captured outside the harbour.”
“Thin, Mr Terence, let me go alone; I’d have no difficulty in slipping overboard, and there’s less chance of my being missed,” said Larry. “When her captain knows that you’re aboard the brig, he’ll be after her in a jiffy.”
“No, no, Larry; I can never let you go alone. Whatever we do, we’ll do together.”
“That’s like you, Mr Terence. Just trust to me, thin; only do you be ready for a start directly it’s dark, and I’ll be keeping a look-out on deck for the chance of one of the Liffy’s boats coming near, to let them know that we’re aboard.”
Tantalising as it was to see the ship, as I supposed, to which I belonged within a short distance of me, and yet not be able to communicate with her, I felt that I could do nothing for the present, and that it was prudent not to be seen talking too much with Larry. I therefore told him to keep away from me during the day, unless he had something particular to say, while I went below again, to finish my toilet and wait for breakfast.
La Touche had been too busy to speak to me, and Dubois was still asleep. I remained in my berth until the steward announced that breakfast was ready, when I met the two officers, who had just come below. They politely invited me to take a seat at the table.
“Well, you see, we have managed to escape your cruisers,” said Dubois, as he poured me out a cup of coffee. “We have reason to congratulate ourselves, as we were very hard pressed.”
“I must compliment you, monsieur, on your skilful seamanship,” I said. “I do so with sincerity, although I should have been very glad had you been caught. However, I am prepared to bear my disappointment philosophically. We have not yet reached Guadaloupe, and I don’t despair of regaining my liberty, though I conclude you’ll not consider yourself justified in letting me leave the brig?”
“For your sake I wish that we could,” said La Touche; “but you are known to be on board, and we should have to account for you; so I’m afraid you must exercise the philosophy you speak of.” Imitating the Frenchman, I shrugged my shoulders, as if I was perfectly resigned to my fate. I made no remark about the English frigate in the harbour, as the Frenchmen didn’t allude to her, though they could not have supposed that I was ignorant of her being there.