n't say
another word, sir; _we_ understands. Only we'd like you to know sir--
and this here's a very good opportunity for us to say it--that whenever
_the time comes_ you may reckon upon all hands of us in this here boat."

"How do you mean?" ejaculated Lance, considerably startled. "I really
do not understand you."

"Oh, it's all right, sir," returned Dickinson cheerfully. "We warn't
born yesterday, ne'er a one of us, and you don't suppose as we believes
you've all settled down to stay here for the rest of your nateral lives,
do you? Lord bless you, sir, _we_ knows you must have got some plan in
your heads for getting away out of this here hole; and the long and the
short of it is this:--When you're ready to go, we're ready to lend you a
hand, perviding you'll take us with you. We're sick and tired of this
here cursed pirating business; we wants to get away out of it; and we've
been talking it over--me and my mates--and we've made up our minds that
you're sartain to be off one of these fine days, and we'd like to go
with you, if you'll have us. We want to give the world another trial,
and see if we can't end our days as honest men; ain't that it, mates?"

"Ay, ay, Bill; that's it and no mistake; you've put it to the gentlemen
just exactly as we wanted it; what you says, we'll say, and whatever
promises you makes we'll keep 'em; we wants another chance, and we hopes
that if so be as these here gen'lemen are thinking of topping their
booms out of this they'll just take us along with 'em," replied the man
who was pulling the bow-oar, the others also murmuring an assent.

"But what makes you think we have an idea of effecting our escape? And
how many others of you have the same opinion?" inquired Captain
Staunton.

"Well, I don't know as I can rightly say _what_ makes us think so; but
we _do_," answered Dickinson. "P'raps it's because you've took things
so quiet and cheerful like. As to how many more of us thinks the same
as we do--why, I can't say, I'm sure. I've only spoke about it to some
half a dozen or so that I _knowed_ would be glad of a chance to leave,
like myself."

"Well," said Captain Staunton after a pause, "I really do not think we
can say anything to you, either one way or another, just now. What you
have just said has been so utterly unexpected that we must have time to
think and talk the matter over among ourselves; but I think we may
perhaps be able to say something definite to you to-mor