Paul was convinced that the men spoke in earnest, and afraid of being discovered should he remain, he crept stealthily away. He searched about till he found Croxton and Reuben, and told them at once what he had heard and feared.
“There’s little doubt but that you are right, Paul,” said old Croxton, after meditating for some time. “We thought that we were fortunate in getting on board this ship, and now, to my mind, we shall be fortunate to get out of her. I’m afraid for poor Mr Devereux and Mr O’Grady. It will go hard with them if they’re discovered.”
“I have it,” said Reuben, after thinking for some time—speaking in a low voice—“We must leave this cursed ship and carry off the two young gentlemen. I’d sooner be on the raft out in the Atlantic, than aboard of her.”
“Ay, lads, ‘Better is a dry crust with contentment,’” remarked old Jim. “But how to leave the ship, so as to escape without being followed—there’s the difficulty.”
“‘Where there’s a will there’s a way,’” said Reuben. “If it must be done, it can be done.”
“Right, lad,” said Croxton; “it must be done, for we deserve the fate of villains if we consort with them longer than we can help; though I’ll not say that all on board this unhappy ship are equally bad. There are many who would be glad to escape from her if they had but the chance.”
“It must be done,” repeated Reuben. “We may make off with a boat some dark night. The young Frenchman and our own fellows will be sure to join, and I think that there’s three or four others—maybe more—who’ll be glad to get away at any risk.”
“We must run the risk, and it isn’t a small one,” said Croxton. “If they were to catch us, they’d kill us. There’s no doubt about that.”
The whole plan was soon settled—who were to be got to join—the boat to be taken—the way she was to be lowered. Devereux and O’Grady were to be told of it when all was ready, and were to be brought up on deck as soon as it was dark, and stowed away in the boat herself till the moment of escape had arrived. Paul was usually employed to carry food to the midshipmen. Sometimes, however, Croxton went, sometimes Reuben, to lessen the risk of his object being suspected. Paul waited till night—the time he visited his friends—and hiding a lantern under his jacket, carefully groped his way down to them. They highly approved of the plan proposed for escaping from the ship, and were eager for the moment for putting it into execution. O’Grady, especially, was heartily weary of his confinement.
“I doubt if my two legs will ever be able to stretch themselves out straight again, after being cramped up so long, like herrings in a cask,” he exclaimed, in the low tone in which it was necessary to speak. “We owe you a heavy debt, Gerrard, and if you succeed in getting us out of this, it will be a huge deal greater.”