Soon after the officers had gone Larry came up to me.
“Hwist, Mr Terence,” he said in a low voice. “Dan Hoolan and the other boys know that the frigate out there is the Liffy, and I heard Dan say to one of them that they must take care we don’t get away to her, for he’s afraid, if we do, that Captain Macnamara, when he hears of the mutiny, will consider that he has a right to retake the brig, and that they’ll all be triced up to the yard-arm before many hours are over afterwards.”
“We must try, then, to throw them off their guard, Larry,” I said. “Have you thought of any other plan for escaping?”
“Not just yet, Mr Terence; but I’m still hoping that something will turn up. I’ll tell you all about it presently; but I mustn’t stop long aft, for I have a notion that Dan and the rest have got something into their heads, and that they won’t be stopping aboard if they can help it, to run the risk of hanging.”
Larry again went forward, and I returned to the cabin. I cannot say that the books Dubois left me were edifying; and after I had turned over a few pages, I threw them aside as abominable trash, not fit for any gentleman’s eyes to rest on. They were such works as contributed to prepare the way for the French Revolution. The steward brought me an excellent dinner, and placed a bottle of claret on the table, of which, however, I partook very moderately. I passed the afternoon as best I could, now and then going on deck to have the pleasure of taking a look at the Liffy, and hoping to see one of her boats passing. I determined, should one pull by, to hail her and say who I was; for I was afraid that Nettleship might suppose the brig had been lost, and that the report of my death might, by ill-luck, reach Ballinahone. I watched, however, in vain. As evening approached I expected that Dubois and La Touche would return. Something kept them on shore; probably, finding the calm continue, they were carrying out their intentions of amusing themselves. At last darkness came on, and I went back into the cabin. I should have said that the brig carried a small boat hoisted up astern, but which was in a dilapidated condition, and considered not fit to put into the water. As we had no carpenter on board able to repair her, she was allowed to remain hoisted up. I had been in the cabin some time, and I believe I must have dropped off into a doze, when I heard a sound of blocks creaking, and presently there was a splash in the water. Springing up, I looked out of one of the stern ports, which was open, and could distinguish a boat just below me with a man in her, moving round the quarter. At first I thought he was Larry, and then I felt sure that Larry would not have taken a boat without first giving me notice of his intentions. In less than a minute afterwards, however, he poked his head into the cabin.
“Hwist, Mr Terence, it’s just as I thought it would be,” he whispered. “Dan Hoolan and the rest are going to pull on shore. They have made the watch below drunk, and they have seized the anchor watch and put them in limbo. They fancy that if they can get away up the country, they’ll be safe, and I have a mind to go with them and pull the boat back, and take you off. Keep a look-out of the cabin window, Mr Terence; maybe I’ll come under the counter, and you can squeeze through the port without anybody on deck finding us out. Now I’m off.”
Larry hurried out of the cabin, leaving me in a state of anxious doubt as to whether he would succeed. I was afraid of going on deck lest I should be seen by the mutineers, and I at once therefore went to the port, hoping that I might catch a glimpse of them pulling away. Even if Larry got off with them, there might be many chances against his returning. The boat even might fill before she could reach the shore, or she might encounter the French officers returning to the brig, and be seized. I wondered at their carelessness in leaving the vessel with such a crew as theirs; for those who had proved traitors to me might have been expected to turn traitors to them.
Scarcely a minute had elapsed before, to my surprise, I heard a “hwist” come from under the counter, and Larry’s voice saying—
“Lend a hand, Mr Terence, and catch the painter as I chuck it up.”
I did as he desired, and presently he climbed up in at the port.